The  /foRSEWcfMAN 


JOHN  A.  SEAVERNS 


TUFTS  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 


3   9090  013  421    462 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Cummings  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 
Tufts  University 


n^^ 


THE 
HORSEWOMAN 


C^^tll<.      9?^    .    V/V^A^A^^ 


THE 


A  Practical  Guide  to  Side-Saddle  Riding 


BY 


ALICE    M.    HAYES 

Author  of  "My  Leper  Friends." 
edited  by 

M.     HORACE     HAYES,     E.R.C.V.S. 

(Late    Captain    "  The    Buffs  "j 
Author  of 

Points   of   the  Horse,"      "Veterinary  Notes   for  Horse-Owners,^ 

"  Riding  and  Hunting,"  etc. 


Second  Edition^  revised^  eftlarged  and  ijj  photographic 

illustrations  added. 


NEW    YORK 
CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 

1903 

All   7'ights   reserved 


/I 


I  ft 


?3 


PREFACE. 


The  first  edition  of  this  book  was  the  result  of  seven 
years'  experience  of  riding  hundreds  of  horses  in  India, 
Ceylon,  Egypt,  China  and  South  Africa  ;  the  most  trying 
animals  being  those  of  which  I  was  the  rough-rider  at  my 
husband's  horse-breaking  classes.  Since  that  edition  came 
out,  I  have  hunted  a  good  deal,  chiefly,  in  Leicestershire 
and  Cheshire,  and  have  taught  many  pupils,  both  of  which 
experiences  were  of  special  advantage  to  me  in  preparing 
this  new  edition ;  because  English  ladies  regard  riding, 
principally,  from  a  hunting  point  of  view,  and  the  best  way 
to  supplement  one's  education,  is  to  try  to  teach. 

The  directions  about  side-saddles  and  seat  are  the  out- 
come of  practical  work  and  fortunate  opportunities  ;  and  I 
hope  they  will  be  as  useful  to  my  readers  as  they  have 
been  to  my  pupils.  Although  I  have  ridden,  when  abroad, 
some  of  the  worst  buckjumpers  that  could  be  found  in  any 
country,  I  have  never  "  cut  a  voluntary,"  thanks  to  the 
adoption  of  a  seat  and  saddle  which  gave  the  necessary 
grip.  Of  course  I  have  had  "  purls,"  when  horses  have 
'*  come  down "  with  me  out  hunting ;    and  on  one  occasion 


viii  PREFACE. 

in  China,  when  a  horse  which  I  mounted  for  the  first  time, 
reared  and  came  over. 

I  have  taken  Figs.  32  to  51,  71  to  7d>  and  Fig.  90  from 
Riding  and  Hunting,  and  Figs.  147  and  148  from  Points  of 
the  Horse.     My  husband  has  written  Chapter  XXII. 

I  have  omitted  the  chapter  on  my  Riding  Experiences,  as 
I  thought  it  out  of  place  in  a  purely  teaching  book. 

Knowing  the  immense  value  of  photographs  in  explain- 
ing technical  subjects,  I  have  gladly  availed  myself  of 
the  expert  help  of  my  husband  and  son  in  that  form  of 
illustration. 

I  am  greatly  obliged  to  Miss  Harding,  Miss  Burnaby, 
Miss  Neil,  the  Rev.  G.  Broke,  the  Rev.  R.  J.  Gornall,  Mr. 
Clarence  Hailey  of  Newmarket,  the  Editor  of  Country  Life 
and  the  Editor  of  The  Queen,  for  the  admirable  photographs 
and  blocks  they  most  kindly  lent  me.  I  regret  that  I  in- 
advertently omitted  to  place  the  names  of  Mr.  Clarence 
Hailey  and  the  Gresham  Studio,  Adelaide,  South  Australia, 
under  the  excellent  photographs  which  are  respectively  re- 
produced in  Figs.  2  and  3. 

This  edition  is  practically  a  new  book. 

Yetv   Tree  House, 
Crick,  Rugby, 
25M  March,   1903. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 
Beginning  to  Ride i  to  7 

CHAPTER   II. 
Horses  for  Ladies 8  to  24 

CHAPTER    III. 
Side-saddles 25  to  69 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Bridles .         .         .  70  to  88 

CHAPTER   V. 
Riding  Dress 89  to  124 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Mounting  and  Dismounting    .         .         .         .         .      125  to  135 

CHAPTER   VII. 
How  TO  Hold  the  Reins 136  to  144 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
The  Seat  .........      145  to  159 

CHAPTER   IX. 
Hands,  Voice,  Whip  and  Spur        .         .         .         .      160  to  184 

CHAPTER  X. 
First  Lessons  in  Riding 185  to  218 

CHAPTER   XL 
Riding  Across  Country 219  to  226 

CHAPTER   XII. 
Hacking 227  to  232 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Riding  without  Reins 233  to  243 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
Nerve        .........      244  to  247 

CHAPTER   XV. 
Fences,  Country  and  Gates 248  to  303 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
Hunting .         .      304  to  380 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Riding  and  Hunting  Abroad 381  to  393 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 
Walking  Foxhound  Puppies 394  to  413 

CHAPTER   XIX. 
Kindness  to  Horses 414  to  425 

CHAPTER   XX. 
Cross-saddle  Riding  for  Ladies     ....      426  to  430 

CHAPTER    XXL 
Riding  Difficult  Horses 431  to  464 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

Names  of  External  Parts  of  the  Horse     .        .      465  to  473 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 

23- 

24. 

25- 


Frontispiece. — Alice   M.  Hayes. 

FIG. 

Man  riding  a  horse  over  a  fence  in  a  side-saddle 

Miss  Burnaby's  Butterfly 

Miss  Neil's  Jackeroo 

;Mr.  Vansittart's  Romance 

Irish  mare,  Salary 

Polo  pony,  Pat 

Arab  pony,  Freddie   . 

Side  view  of  saddle  tree 

Underneath  view  of  saddle  tree 

Front  view  of  saddle  tree    . 

Underneath  view  of  saddle  tree  and  its  webs 

Grip  with  improved  leaping  head 

,,         ordinary  ,, 

Hook  for  stirrup  leather     . 
Leaping  head  too  low  down 
Side  view  of  a  properly  made  saddle 
Champion  and  Wilton's  extra  stirrup  case 
Capped  stirrup-iron 
Slipper  stirrup  . 


I. 
2. 

3- 

4. 

5- 
6. 

7- 
8. 

9- 
10. 

II. 

I  2. 

13- 

14. 

15- 

16. 

17- 

18. 


The  Christie  stirrup 
Foot  caught 
Latchford  stirrup 
Scott's  stirrup    . 

open 
Cope's  stirrup    . 


PAGE 

3 

9 

II 

13 

15 

17 

19 
26 

27 
29 
31 
35 
37 

39 

40 

41 

43 

44 

44 

44 

45 
46 

46 

47 
48 


Xll 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FIG. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 

32. 

33- 
34- 
35- 
36^ 
37- 
38. 
39- 

40. 
41. 
42. 

43- 
44. 

45- 
46. 

47. 
48. 

49. 
50- 

51- 

52. 
53- 
54. 


Foot  released  by  Cope's  stirrup 

Scott's  stirrup     . 

Foot  caught  on  off  side 

Child  mounted. 

Child  jumping  without  reins 

Foot  caught,  on  account  of  its  having  been  put  into  the 

stirrup  from  the  wrong  side   .         .         .         .         , 
"  Head "  of  a  single   bridle  :    a,  crown-piece  ;    ^,  d, 

cheek-pieces  ;  c,  throat-latch ;  d,  front  or  brow-band 
Unjointed  snaffle 
Chain  snaffle 

Ordinary  snaffle  with  cheeks 
Nutcracker  action  of  jointed  snaffle  on  horse's  mouth 
Action  of  unjointed  snaffle  on  horse's  mouth 
Action  of  a  curb  as  a  lever         .... 
Properly  constructed  curb  for  ordinary  hunter.     Side 

view     ....... 

Ward  Union  curb  bridle  with  half-moon  snaffle 
Curb  chain  covered  with  india-rubber  tube 
Chin-strap  unbuckled         .... 

Chin-strap  buckled    ..... 

Curb  reversed  by  horse  throwing  up  his  head,  in  the 

absence  of  a  chin-strap  .... 

Cavasson  nose-band  ...... 

Standing  martingale  attached  to  rings  of  the  snaffle 
Lord  Lonsdale's  registered  running  martingale    . 
Maximum  length  of  standing  martingale     . 
Side  view  of  horse's  lower  jaw     .... 

Angle  made  by  the  cheeks  of  a  curb,  when  the  reins 

are  taken  up  ..... 

View  of  under-surface  of  lower  jaw 
The  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt  open  for  mounting 
Off  side  of  the  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt 
The  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt  closed  for  walking 


PAGE 

49 
50 

51 

61 

63 
67 

71 

72 

72 
72 

73 
73 
73 

74 

75 
76 

76 

76 

77 

79 

80 

81 

33 

85 

86 

87 

91 
93 
95 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Xlll 


FIG. 

PAGE 

55- 

Apron  skirt  open  for  mounting  . 

•                  •                  •                  • 

97 

56. 

The  apron  skirt  closed  for  walking 

• 

99 

57- 

Riding  dress  for  child 

. 

lOI 

58. 

Loose  riding  coat,  too  long 

• 

103 

59- 

Front  view  of  good  riding  coat  . 

. 

105 

60. 

Back  view  of  good  riding  coat    . 

. 

107 

61. 

Terai  hat  and  Norfolk  jacket 

. 

109 

62. 

Pith  hat  and  drill  jacket     . 

• 

109 

63. 

Good  driving  coat 

• 

I II 

64. 

Top  of  boot  catching  on  safety  bar 

flap 

119 

65. 

Front  view  of  riding  under-bodice 

• 

121 

66. 

Back  view  of  riding  under-bodice 

. 

123 

67. 

Foot  raised  for  mounting   . 

127 

68 

Ready  to  mount 

. 

129 

69. 

Dismounting  without  help 

• 

^33 

70. 

„            with  help 

. 

135 

71- 

A  rein  in  each  hand  = 

• 

137 

72. 

Single  reins  crossed  in  one  hand 

. 

138 

73- 

5}                  J)                        53                        )J                   5) 

. 

138 

74- 

Double  reins  held  separately  in  two  hands 

139 

75 

Holding  double  reins  crossed  in  one  hand 

140 

76. 

Double  reins   in  left  hand  :    one 

crossed,   the 

other 

hooked  up  on  middle  finger  , 

• 

141 

77- 

Reins  held  in  one  hand  in  military 

fashion 

142 

78. 

Off  rein  taken  up  by  right  hand  from  position  s 

ihown 

in  Fig   77     . 

•                  •                  « 

143 

79- 

Position  of  rider's  legs  at  the  walk 

•                  •                  < 

147 

80. 

Hooked  back   leg,   the  direction 

of  the  pressure  of 

which  is  shown  by  the  fore  finger  of  the  left  hand   . 

151 

81. 

Seat  at  the  walk 

•                  »                  •                  • 

153 

82. 

Length  of  stirrup 

• 

155 

83. 

Correct  position  of  legs 

• 

157 

84. 

Leaning  back    .... 

• 

• 

158 

85. 

Hunting  whip  .... 

* 

• 

171 

XIV 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FIG. 

86. 
87. 
88. 
89. 
90. 
91. 
92. 

93- 

94. 

95- 
96. 

97- 

98. 

99. 

100. 
101. 

102. 
103. 
104. 
105. 
106. 
107. 
108. 
109. 
no. 
III. 
112. 

113- 
114. 

115 
116. 

117. 


Thong  properly  put  on 


}5 


J3 


?J 


)) 


35 


incorrectly  put  on 

not  quite  right 
A  practical  bullfinch 

Spur-carrying  whip  used  for  high  school  riding    . 
Thorough-bred  mare  at  a  walk   .... 

Preparing   to  rise  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  at  correct 
length  ........ 

Rising  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  at  correct  length  . 
Preparing  to  rise  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  too  long 
Rising  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  too  long 
Canter,  with  right  leg  hooked  back,  and  stirrup  too  long 
Good  seat  at  canter  or  gallop 


33 


33 


35 


53 


33 


33 


Bad  seat ;  right  leg  hooked  back,  stirrup  too  long,  and 

foot  "  home  " 
Miss  Emmie  Harding  jumping  wire   . 
Maximum  amount  of  pressure  on  leaping  head 
Position  of  legs  in  jumping 
Driving  horse  over  jumps  .... 
A  cut-and-laid  fence  ..... 

„         ,,  „       during  construction    . 

A  stake  and  bound  fence   .... 
Post  and  rails  to  close  gap  in  hedge    . 
Posts  and  rails  ...... 

,,      ,,       ,,    with  ditch    .... 

Midland  stile     ...... 

An  oxer    ....... 

Wire  in  front  of  bullfinch  .... 

Gahvay  bank     ...... 

Side  view  of  bank  shown  in  Fig.  115 
Gahvay  bank     ...... 


PAGE 

173 

173 

175 

175 

177 

181 

187 

191 

193 

195 

197 

199 

201 

203 

205 

207 

211 
213 

235 

253 

255 

257 

259 
261 

263 

265 

267 

271 

273 

275 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


XV 


FIG. 

PAGE 

Il8. 

"  Cope  and  dash  "  wall 

277 

119. 

Loose  stone  wall 

279 

120. 

Low  bank  with  ditch  on  both  sides     . 

281 

121. 

View  of  country  between  Yelvertoft  and  Crick 

283 

122. 

Grass  on  each  side  of  the  road  . 

.    ,     285 

123. 

Ordinary  five-barred  gate   .... 

289 

124. 

Bridle  gate 

291 

125- 

Gate  with  wooden  latch     .... 

293 

126. 

„       „     spring       ,,      which  has  to  be  drawn  back 

295 

127. 

„       „         „           „           „       „       „  pushed  forwarc 

I         297 

128. 

Double  gate 

299 

129. 

A  puzzle  in  gate-opening   . 

301 

130, 

Ridge  and  furrow 

317 

131- 

,,        „        „       in  the  distance 

321 

132. 

Haystack  and  gate     . 

329 

133- 

Brook        

337 

134- 

Pollard  willows  in  the  next  field 

339 

^35- 

The  Cottesmore  drawing  a  covert 

355 

136. 

Wire  board        .... 

359 

137- 

Red  flag   .... 

3^3 

138. 

"  'Ware  wire  "   . 

365 

139- 

Iron  hurdle. 

367 

140! 

Wire  on  top  of  gate  . 

369 

141. 

Pytchley  puppy,  Mottley   . 

401 

142. 

Front  view  of  kennel  coat 

403 

143- 

Back  view  of  kennel  coat  . 

405 

144. 

Puppies  with  bicycle 

407 

145. 

Pytchley  puppy,  Monarch 

409 

146. 

Riding  mountain  zebra 

457 

147. 

External  parts  of  horse 

467 

148. 

Measurements  of  horse 

471 

THE     HORSEWOMAN. 


CHAPTER    I. 

BEGINNING    TO    RIDE. 

Instruction  based  on  experience  assists  us  in  the 
attainment  of  all  arts,  and  hastens  the  process  of 
learning.  Although  a  specially- gifted  individual  who 
has  not  been  taught,  may  be  able  to  sing  in  a  pleasing- 
style,  no  one  has  ever  become  an  accomplished  pianist 
without  competent  instruction  ;  the  former  being  some- 
what in  the  position  of  a  man,  the  latter  in  that  of  a 
lady,  as  regards  riding.  In  all  countries  we  find  good 
untaught  horsemen  who  have  got  ''  shaken  into  their 
seats  "  by  constant  practice,  with  or  without  a  saddle, 
which  in  most  cases  is  chieily  a  protection  to  the 
animal's  back.  A  side-saddle,  on  the  contrary,  is  as 
artificial  a  production  as  a  musical  instrument,  and  a 
full  knowledge  of  its  peculiarities  often  cannot  be 
acquired  during  a  lifetime.  Here  the  great  difference 
between  men  and  women  is  that  the  former  ride  the 
horse  ;  the  latter,  the  saddle.     The  tyranny  of  the  side- 

I 


2  BEGINNING   TO  RIDE. 

saddle  would  not  be  so  marked  as  it  is,  if  this  article 
of  gear  were  of  a  uniform  pattern  of  the  best  possible 
kind.      Unfortunately  it  is  generally  built  according  to 
the  fantastic  ideas  of  fashionable  makers  who  have  no 
practical    experience    of   side-saddle    riding.      Unaided 
learners    have    such    difficulty    in    acquiring    security 
and  grace  of  seat  and  good   hands,   that   many  ladies 
who    have    ridden    all    their    lives,    and    have    lots    of 
pluck,  are  poor  performers,  particularly  in  the  hunting- 
field.      A    beginner    who    is    put   on  a  properly  made 
'  saddle    and    suitable    horse,    and    is    taught    the    right 
principles    of  riding,    will    make    more    progress    in    a 
month    than    she    would    otherwise    do    in,    say,    five 
years.      The  artificiality  of  side-saddle  riding  extends 
even  to  the   horse,   which   must  be   free   from  certain 
faults,  such  as  unsteadiness  in    mounting,   that  would 
not  render  him  unsuitable  to  carry  a  male  rider. 

Competency  in  the  instructor  is  of  the  first  import- 
ance. Nothing  is  more  absurd  than  for  a  man  who 
cannot  ride  well  in  a  side-saddle,  to  try  to  unfold  to 
a  lady  the  mysteries  of  seat.  Such  men,  instead  of 
getting  into  a  side-saddle  and  showing  their  pupils 
'•  how  to  do  it,"  generally  attempt  to  conceal  their 
ignorance  by  the  use  of  stock  phrases.  If  asked 
'•Why?"  they  invariably  reply,  ''Because  it's  the 
rio'ht  thing  to  do,"  or  words  to  that  effect.  I  have 
never  heard  of  women  venturing   to   teach  men  how 

to  ride. 

Davis,  a  young  groom  we  had,  was  a  rare  instance 
of   a    man    who   was   thoroughly    competent    to   teach 


MAN   RIDING    IN    SIDE   SADDLE.  3 

ladles  how  to  ride,  because  he  had  lots  of  practice  in 
side  saddles,  and  had  ample  opportunities  of  learning 
the  theory  of  the  art,  while  I  was  teaching  pupils  in 
a  riding  school,  where  I  rode  and  jumped  horses 
without  a. skirt.  Fig.  i  shows  Davis  riding  in  a  side 
saddle  over  a  gate,  on  my  grey  horse  Gustave.     The 


Fig.  I. — Man  riding  a  horse  over  a  fence  in  a  side-saddle, 

fact  of  his  not  hanging   on  to   the   horse's  head  is  a 
good  proof  that  he  had  a  strong  seat. 

The  first  lessons  in  balance  and  grip  should  be 
given  by  a  competent  horsewoman,  and  the  riding- 
skirt  should  either  be  taken  off  or  pinned  back  (for 
instance,  with  a  safety-pin),  in  order  that  the  lady 
instructor  may  be  able  to  see  and  at  once  correct 
faults  in  the  position  ot  the  legs,  which  is  hardly  a 
task  fit  for   a  man,   even   were  he   competent  to  per- 

1* 


4  BEGINNING    TO    RIDE. 

form  it.      After  the  pupil  has  acquired  a  good  seat  at 
the  various  paces  and   over   small   fences,    her  further 
education  in  the   guidance  and   control  of  her  mount 
might  be  entrusted  to  a  competent  horseman,  prefer- 
ably   to    a    good    cross-country    rider,    and    not,    as  is 
frequently    the    case,    to  an   ex-military  riding-master, 
who,    having    been    taught   that  a  cavalryman's    right 
hand  has  to  be  occupied  with  a  sword   or  lance,  con- 
siders   that    ladies  should   also   adopt    the  one-handed 
system  of  riding !     As  a  rule,  the  services  of  a  good 
horseman   are  desirable   when   the  pupil  is  fit  to  ride 
in  the  open,  because  he  is  more   helpful   than  a  lady 
rider  in  rendering  prompt  assistance  on  an  emergency. 
Besides,    riding    men    usually    know    more   about    the 
bitting  and  handling   of   horses  than  w^omen,  and  are 
therefore    better    able    to    impart    instruction    in    this 
branch  of  equitation. 

It  is  as  impossible  to  lay  down  a  hard-and-fast  rule 
as  to  the  age  at  which  a  girl  may  be  allowed  to  mount 
a  pony  or  donkey,  as  it  is  to  control  the  spirits  and 
daring  of  a  foxhound  puppy.  Those  who  possess  the 
sporting  instinct  and  the  desire  to  emulate  the  example 
of  their  hunting  parents  or  friends,  should  certainly 
be  encouraged  and  taught  to  ride  as  soon  as  they 
manifest  their  wish  to  do  so.  Many  hunting  women 
allow  their  children  to  occasionally  attend  meets  in  a 
governess  car  or  other  suitable  conveyance,  and  the 
budding  sportsmen  and  sportswomen  in  the  vehicle 
keenly  follow  the  hounds,  as  far  as  they  can  do  so,  by 
the  roads.     On  non-hunting  days  during  the  season,  it 


TEACHING    CHILDREN    TO    RIDE.  5 

is  no  uncommon  sight  in  hunting  districts  to  see  ladies 
walking  by  the  side  of  their  tiny  daughters  who  are 
mounted  on  ponies,  and  giving  them  instruction  in 
riding.  In  cub-hunting  time  we  may  often  see  the 
good  results  of  such  lessons,  when  parent  and  daughter 
appear  together,  and  the  little  girl  on  her  pony  follows 
the  lead  over  small  fences  w^hich  "  mother  "  knows 
can  be  negotiated  by  both  with  safety. 

Twenty  years  ago,  infants  were  often  carried  in 
panniers  or  baskets,  one  on  each  side  of  a  led  pony 
or  donkey,  with  the  supposed  object  of  initiating 
them  to  horse  exercise.  The  pannier  training  was 
followed  by  the  little  girls  being  placed  on  a  pilch, 
and  conducted  about  by  a  mounted  groom  with  a 
leading-rein.  This  leading-rein  system  is  absolutely 
worthless  as  a  means  for  teaching  horse-control  to 
children,  and  should  be  used  only  as  a  safeguard  w^ith 
an  animal  which  the  young  rider  may  be  unable  to 
hold. 

At  whatever  age  a  child  is  taught  to  ride,  we  should 
bear  in  mind  that  the  exercise  always  entails  a  certain 
amount  of  fatigue,  and  should  be  taken  in  moderation. 
The  many  lamentable  accidents  which  have  occurred 
to  young  girls  from  being  ''dragged,"  show  the  vital 
necessity  of  supplying  the  small  horsewoman  with  the 
most  reliable  safety  appliances  in  saddlery  and  dress. 
The  parent  or  guardian  often  overlooks  this  all- 
important  point,  and  devotes  his  or  her  entire  atten- 
tion to  securing  a  quiet  animal. 

Girls  who  do  not  possess  any  aptitude  or  desire  to 


6  BEGINNING   TO    RIDE. 

ride  should  not  be  compelled  to  practise  this  art,  for, 
apart  from  the  cruelty  of  subjecting  a  highly  nervous 
girl  to  the  torture  of  riding  lessons,  such  unwilling 
pupils  never  become  accomplished  horsewomen.  In 
the  same  w^ay,  a  child  who  has  no  ear  for  music, 
and  who  is  forced  against  her  wish  to  learn  the  piano, 
never  develops  into  a  good  player. 

The  same  remark  applies  to  older  ladies,  who,  with 
the  usual  angelic  resignation  of  my  sex,  try  their 
best  to  obey  the  command  of  their  lords  and  masters 
by  learning  to  ride.  I  fear  that  success  in  this  art 
is  seldom  attained  by  ladies  over  thirty  years  of  age, 
for  by  that  time  they  have  generally  lost  the  dashing 
pluck  of  their  youth  ;  their  figures  have  become  set 
and  matronly  ;  and,  as  a  rule,  they  find  great  difficulty 
in  mastering  the  subtleties  of  balance  and  grip.  Also, 
a  state  of  nervous  anxiety  is  apt  to  add  to  the  general 
stiffness  of  their  appearance,  and  to  suggest  discomfort 
and  irritabilitv. 

We  read  from  time  to  time  alarming  rumours  of 
"spinal  curvature"  as  a  result  of  side-saddle  riding, 
but  I  have  never  known  a  case  of  this  to  occur,  either 
to  old  or  young,  although  the  near-side  position  of 
the  leaping-head  has  a  tendency  to  develop  the 
muscles  of  the  left  leg  more  than  those  of  the  right 
leg,  a  fact  w^hich  I  discovered  as  soon  as  I  began 
to  ride  a  bicycle,  after  having  had  many  years'  ex- 
perience  on  horses.  Riding  alternately  on  a  saddle 
with  the  leaping-head  on  the  near  side  and  on  one 
with    the    leaping-head    on   the    off   side,    would    help 


RIDING   ON    OFF   SIDE.  7 

to  save  the  back  and  legs  of  a  lady's  horse.  In 
cantering  or  galloping,  the  animal  puts  more  weight 
on  the  leading  fore  leg,  which  is  consequently  more 
liable  to  suffer  from  the  injurious  effects  of  work  than 
the  non-leading  leg  ;  and,  as  we  all  know,  to  canter 
or  gallop  comfortably,  a  lady's  horse  has  to  lead  with 
his  off  fore  when  the  leaping-head  is  on  the  near  side  ; 
and  vice  vej'sd.  Also,  the  vulnerable  side  of  the 
back  and  withers  of  an  animal  which  carries  a  side- 
saddle, is  the  one  which  is  opposite  to  that  on 
which  the  leaping-head  is  fixed.  I  am  afraid  that 
these  practical  considerations  would  not  outweigh  the 
dictates  of  fashion  and  the  expense  of  having  two 
saddles  for  one  horse.  The  Young  Lady  s  Equestrian 
Manual,  which  was  published  in  1838,  tells  us  that  in 
the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  a  plan  which  was 
similar  to  the  one  in  question  was  adopted  of  having 
movable  crutches,  'Mn  order  to  afford  a  lady,  by 
merely  changing  their  relative  positions,  the  means 
of  riding,  as  she  might  please,  on  either  side  of  her 
horse,"  and  that  this  change  of  crutches  w^as  found 
advantageous.  I  do  not  think  that  a  side-saddle  built 
on  this  principle  would  look  neat  enough  for  modern 
requirements. 


8 


CHAPTER    II. 

HORSES   FOR   LADIES. 

A  HUNTER  suitable  for  a  lady  should  be  temperate, 
sound,  strong,  safe  and  clever  over  fences,  and  fast 
enough  for  his  country.  As  extra  fatigue  is  entailed 
on  a  lady's  mount  by  the  side  position  of  his  rider, 
he  should  be  quite  2 1  lbs.  above  the  weight  he  has 
to  carry.  As  a  rule,  he  should  not  be  younger  than 
seven,  and  should  have  had,  at  least,  two  seasons' 
huntino-  in  which  to  learn  his  business.-  Fig.  2  shows 
us  a  typical  high-class  Leicestershire  hunter  ;  and 
Fig.    3,  a  good  Australian  hunter. 

Mr.  Vansittart's  Romance  (Fig.  4)  was  one  of  the 
nicest  of  the  many  Australian  horses  I  rode,  during 
my  sojourns  in  India,  between  the  years  1885  and 
1 89 1.  He  was  thoroughbred  and  was  the  winner  of 
several  races  on  the  flat  and  across  country.  In 
those  days,  the  idiotic  custom  of  docking  horses  had 
not  found  favour  in  Australia. 

The  requirements  of  the  various  hunting  countries 
differ  greatly.  For  the  Shires,  a  lady  would  want  a 
well-bred    galloper  which    can    ''spread    himself  out" 


TYPICAL   LEICESTERSHIRE    HUNTER.  9 

over  his  fences,  because  there  is  ahnost  always  a  ditch 
or  a  rail  on  one  side  or  the  other  of  the  Midland  hedges. 
Temperate  he  must  be,  because  the  fields  in  Leicester- 


Fig.  2. — Miss  Biirnaby's  Butterfly. 


shire,  for  instance,  are  so  large  that  there  is  often  a 
crowd  of  riders  waiting  their  turn  at  the  only  practic- 
able place  in  a  jump,  filing  through  a  gate,  or  waiting 


10  HORSES    FOR   LADIES. 

en  masse  In  a  cramped  space  at  the  covert  side,  and 
a    horse    who    displays    temper    on    such    occasions    is 
naturally   regarded   as   a   nuisance  and   danger  by  the 
rest  of  the  held.      Besides,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
nothing  tends  to  spoil  the  nerves  of  any  rider,  man  or 
woman,  more  than  attempting  to  hunt  in  a  big  country 
like     Leicestershire    on    a    bad-tempered    horse,    and 
especially  on  a  refuser  which  has  a  tendency  to  rear. 
On  no  account  should  a   lady  ride   a  roarer,   although 
the  artful  dealer  may  assure   her  that   the  "whistle" 
which  the  animal  makes,  will  be  a  secret  unknown  to 
any  one  except  herself  and   the  horse.      In   the  large 
majority  of  cases,  roaring  is  a  disease  which  increases 
with  time,  and  the  accompanying  noise  is  distressing  to 
all  lovers  of  horses  who   hear   it.      Kickers,  even  with 
red    bows    on    their    tails,    should    on    no    account    be 
ridden  ;  for  they  are  a  danger  to  man,  woman,  horse, 
and  hound,  and  are  the  cause  of  many  accidents  every 
hunting    season.       It    w^ould    appear    that    ladies — not 
those    of    the    present    day,    let    us    hope — were    not 
sufficiently  careful   in  insisting  on  this  last-mentioned 
requirement    in   their  hunters  ;  for   Captain   Elmhirst, 
writing   in  1883,  says,  "  Horse  dealers,  farmers,  and — 
we  are  sorry  to  add — ladies  must  especially  be  avoided  ; 
for  who  ever  saw  a  vicious  kicker  that  was  not  ridden 
by  one  of  these  three  ?  " 

Apart  from  the  danger  to  others,  it  is  obvious  that 
no  sane  woman  would  ride  a  horse  which  would  be 
likely  to  kick  her  in  the  event  of  a  fall.  When  I  was 
in   India,  I   had  to  get   rid  of  a  horse  because  of  his 


AUSTRALIAN    HUNTER. 


II 


vicious  tendency  in  this  respect.  He  was  a  good- 
looking  Australian,  a  clever  fencer,  and  had  a  nice 
mouth,  but  so  vicious   that  when  we  first  got  him,  he 


Fig.  3. — Miss  Neil's  Jackeroo. 

used  to  rush  open-mouthed  at  any  one  who  went  near 
him,  except  his  syce.  My  husband  took  him  in  hand, 
and   he    became    sufficiently  civilised    to    take    carrots 


12  •  HORSES    FOR   LADIES. 

from  me.  When  I  rode  him,  I  found  he  was  always 
looking  out  for  an  excuse  to  "  play  up,"  or  to  lash  out 
at  other  horses.  In  order  to  test  his  jumping,  a  light- 
weio-ht  P'entleman  rider  one  day  rode  him  over  a  made 
course.  The  animal  blundered  badly  at  one  of  the 
fences,  threw  his  rider,  and  while  the  man  was  lying  on 
his  back  on  the  ground  the  horse  deliberately  put  a 
fore  foot  on  him,  and  would  have  doubtless  broken  his 
back,  if  my  husband,  who  was  standing  near  the  fence, 
had  not  pulled  the  vicious  brute  off.  We  got  rid  of 
him,  and  I  heard  shortly  afterwards  that  he  had  killed 
his  jockey,  a  native,  in  a  hurdle  race  at  Calcutta,  by 
the  adoption  of  similar  vicious  tactics.  It  would  have 
been  criminal  to  have  taken  such  a  horse  as  that  into 
any  hunting-field. 

A  hunter  should  have  good  shoulders  (long,  flat, 
and  oblique)  and  a  comparatively  high  forehand  ;  for 
horses  which  are  lower  in  front  than  at  the  croup  are 
uncomfortable  to  ride,  and  there  is  generally  some 
difficulty  in  retaining  the  side  saddle  in  its  place  on 
their  backs.  The  height  of  a  hunter  will  depend 
greatly  on  that  of  his  rider.  For  instance,  a  tall 
woman  with  a  "  comfortable"  figure  would  be  suitably 
mounted  on  a  horse  16  hands  or  more  high,  whereas  a 
light  girl  of  medium  height  would  find  an  animal  of 
say  15-2  as  much  as  she  could  comfortably  manage  ; 
for  we  must  remember  that  big  horses,  as  a  rule,  take 
a  good  deal  of '' collecting."  A  small  horse  generally 
stays  better,  can  come  out  oftener,  is  handier,  and  not 
so  likely  to  hurt  one  if  he  falls.      For  the   Shires  I   do 


AUSTRALIAN    STEEPLECHASER. 


13 


not  think  a  lady's  hunter  should  be  much  under  15-2, 
and  he  must  be  a  big  jumper  and  well  bred.  Hunting- 
women,  as  a  rule,  do  not  pay  much  attention  to  the 
good  looks  of  their  horses,  for  hunting  is  not  a  church 


Fig.  4. — Mr.  Vansittart's  Romance. 


parade,  and  the  finest  performer  over  a  country  is 
always  admired  and  coveted  whatever  his  appearance 
may  be.  The  same  may  be  said  about  colour  ; 
although,  as  a  grey  horse  is  conspicuous  enough  to  be 


14  HORSES    FOR   LADIES. 

singled  out  of  a  crowd  of  bays  and  browns,  a  lady 
who  is  at  all  ''impartial  "  in  her  seat  would  do  well  to 
select  a  horse  wearing  a  less  noticeable  tint  of  coat. 
As  rearing  is  the  worst  vice  a  lady's  mount  can 
possess,  no  horse  who  has  a  tendency  to  rear  should 
be  ridden  by  a  woman,  as  from  her  position  in  the 
side-saddle  she  is  far  more  helpless  than  a  man  on 
such  an  animal.  A  lady's  hunter  should  not  have  too 
light  a  mouth,  but  should  go  nicely  up  to  his  bridle, 
and  not  resent  the  use  of  the  curb,  which  is  some- 
times necessary  in  avoiding  danger.  He  should  on 
no  account  be  inclined  to  pull.  A  perfect  hunter  is 
like  a  thorough  good  sportsman,  who  regards  his 
share  of  bangs  and  blows  as  all  in  the  day's  work. 
As  the  majority  of  hunters  have  their  own  likes  and 
dislikes  about  jumping  certain  kinds  of  fences,  a  lady 
should  know  precisely  what  to  expect  from  her  mount 
and  what  his  jumping  capabilities  are,  before  taking 
him  into  the  hunting-field,  which  is  not  the  place  for 
experiments.  I  had  many  pleasant  days  out  hunting 
with  the  Quorn,  Belvoir,  Cottesmore  and  North 
Cheshire  on  the   Irish  mare.  Salary  (Fig.    5). 

In  summing  up  the  requirements  of  a  hunter  for 
either  man  or  woman,  I  cannot  do  better  than  to 
quote  the  following  sound  advice  from  Whyte 
Melville  :  "  People  talk  about  size  and  shape, 
shoulders,  quarters,  blood,  bone  and  muscle,  but  for 
my  part,  give  me  a  hunter  with  brains.  He  has  to 
take  care  of  the  biggest  fool  of  the  two,  and  think 
for  both." 


IRISH    HUNTER. 


IS 


To  be  capable  of  safely  crossing  a  stiff  country,  a 
horse  requires  at  least  a  few  falls — which  had  best  be 
shared  by  a  man — and   much  experience,  which  cannot 


Fig.  5. — Irish  mare,  Salary. 


be  obtained  without  time.  Hence,  I  would  advise  no 
lady,  however  well  she  may  ride,  to  hunt  on  a  young 
horse,  who  will  always  require  a  good  deal  of  time  in 
which  to  learn  his  business.      It  is  certainly  no  pleasure 


i6  HORSES    FOR    LADIES. 

to  be  on  the  back  of  a  horse  who  is  inclined  to  drop 
his  hind  legs  in  the  ditch  on  the  other  side,  or  to 
''  chance  "  a  post  and  rails.  Many  young  horses  are 
so  reluctant  in  going  at  a  fence,  and  in  "  spreading 
themselves  out,"  that  they  are  no  good  except  when 
ridden  by  a  man  who  can  use  his  legs,  which  is  a  feat 
that  a  woman  is  unable  to  accomplish. 

A  perfect  hack,  whether  for  man  or  woman,  is  far 
more  difficult  to  find  at  the  present  time  than  a  good 
hunter,  and  when  found  will  command  a  fancy  price. 
The  ideal  hack  is  a  showy,  w^ell-bred  animal  of  the 
officer's  charger  type,  which  has  been  thoroughly  well 
"  made"  in  all  his  paces.  Such  an  animal  appears  at 
his  best  when  executing  a  slow,  collected  canter,  with 
arched  neck  and  looking  full  of  fire  and  gaiety,  though 
ridden  with  an  almost  slack  rein,  and  intent  only  on 
rendering  prompt  obedience  to  the  slightest  indication 
of  his  rider.  In  Germany  and  France  the  hacks  ridden 
in  the  Tiergarten  and  Bois,  for  instance,  are  thoroughly 
"  made,"  and  compare  very  favourably  with  the  pull- 
ing, half-broken  brutes  on  which  many  ladies  appear 
in  the  Row.  In  former  times,  before  the  introduction 
of  the  leaping-head  made  hunting  possible  for  women, 
more  attention  was  paid  to  the  breaking  and  training  of 
heicks  than  at  present,  on  account  of  the  great  demand 
for  "complete  ladies'  horses."  The  advent  of  the 
bicycle  for  ladies  has  almost  abolished  hacking  as  a 
pastime  and  means  of  exercise,  and  hence  the  difficulty 
in  finding  a  well-broken  animal  for  this  work.  The 
best  substitute  is,  1   think,  a  good  polo  pony,   because 


POLO    PONY. 


17 


the  requirements  of  that  game  demand  that  the  animal 
should  be  temperate,  handy,  and  capable  of  being  ridden 
with  a  slack  rein.  The  polo  pony  Pat  (Fig.  6)  is 
a  perfect  hack,  with  a  snaffle-bridle  mouth,  and  so 
steady    and  clever  that  he  can  canter  round  the  pro- 


Fig.  6. — Polo  pony,  Pat. 

verbial  sixpence.      He  has  played  well  in  several  polo 
matches. 

Although  many  ladies  in  this  country  have  never 
enjoyed  the  luxury  of  riding  a  high-caste  Arab,  we 
occasionally  see  these  animals  in  the  Row  and  hunting- 


i8  HORSES    FOR   LADIES. 

field.  The  sight  of  an  '' Arabi  tattoo"  to  an  old 
Indian  like  myself,  revives  many  pleasant  memories  of 
delightful  equine  friends  in  the  East.  The  Arab  is 
par  excellence  the  most  perfect  hack  for  a  lady,  and  I 
think  it  would  be  ungrateful  of  me  in  this  new  edition 
to  omit  the  portrait  of  my  Arab  pony  Freddie  (Fig.  7), 
even  though  the  cut  of  the  riding-habit  is  out  of  date. 

Although  a  good  horsewoman  may  be  satisfied  with 
any  animal  which  is  fit  for  a  man,  provided  he  is  steady 
to  mount  and  does  not  require  an  unusual  amount  of 
collecting ;  it  is  not  safe  to  put  an  inexperienced  or 
nervous  rider  on  a  horse  that  has  not  been  taught  to 
carry  a  habit,  w^hich  a  groom  can  do  by  riding  the 
animal  with  a  rug  or  dark  overcoat  on  the  near  side, 
and  letting  it  flop  about.  Horses  rarely  object  to  the 
presence  of  a  skirt,  though  I  have  known  cases  in  w^hich 
the  animal  went  almost  wild  with  terror  when  the  right 
leg  was  put  over  the  crutch.  It  is,  therefore,  wise  to  ac- 
custom a  horse  to  the  skirt  and  leg  by  means  of  a  groom. 

The  fact  of  a  lady  having  to  ride  in  a  side-saddle,  puts 
her  under  the  following  three  disadvantages  as  com- 
pared to  a  man  in  a  ''cross-saddle"  :  she  is,  as  a  rule, 
unable  to  mount  without  assistance  ;  she  cannot  apply 
the  pressure  of  the  right  leg  to  the  side  of  the  horse  ; 
and  it  is  difficult  for  her  "  to  drop  her  hands  "  in  order 
to  pull  him  together.  The  judicious  application  of 
a  crop  or  ash-plant  (my  husband,  though  an  Irish- 
man, swears  by  a  Neilgherry  cane)  may  partly  make 
up  for  the  absence  of  a  leg  on  the  off  side  ;  but,  how- 
ever well  a  woman  may  ride,   she  should  not  have  a 


ARAB    PONY.  19 

horse  which  ''  plays  up  "  when  he  is  being  mounted,  or 
sprawls  about  and  requires  constant  pulling  together 
when  she  is  in  the  saddle. 


Fig.  7. — Arab  pony,  Freddie 


The  style  of  hack  should  be  in  thorough  keeping 
with  that  of  the  rider.  A  slight  lady  has  a  greater 
range    of   choice   in  horseflesh    than    a    portly    dame, 


2* 


20  HORSES    FOR   LADIES. 

who  would  be  best  suited  with  a  weight-carrying 
hunter  or  compact  cob.  The  height  might  vary  from 
14-2  to  15-3.  I  hardly  think  that  even  a  small  woman 
would  look  well  on  a  pony  which  is  less  than  13-3. 

A  beginner  should  be  put  on  a  lazy  animal,  whether 
horse  or  pony,  that  will  condescend  to  trot  or  canter 
for  only  a  short  distance,  which  will  be  quite  far  enough 
for  Its  Inexperienced  rider.  Many  parents  who  are 
supervising  the  riding  instruction  of  their  children,  look 
too  far  ahead  when  selecting  a  mount.  Instead  of  pur- 
chasing a  steady,  plodding,  though  not  unwilling  slave, 
they  Invest  in  a  second-  or  third-stage  animal,  which  is 
absolutely  useless  to  a  beginner,  because  it  wants  more 
riding  than  she  can  give  it.  Such  a  young  lady  needs 
a  thoroughly  steady  animal,  no  matter  how  old  or  ugly 
it  may  be,  and  she  will  probably  learn  more  about 
riding  on  it  in  a  month,  than  she  would  In  a  year  on 
a  horse  which  would  have  to  be  led  by  a  groom,  on 
account  of  Its  unsteadiness.  A  good  donkey  is  a  most 
useful  conveyance  for  young  girls,  as  he  can  generally 
be  trusted  to  take  things  quietly,  and  will  not  unduly 
exert  himself  without  being  called  upon  to  do  so. 

For  the  benefit  of  inexperienced  riders,  I  must  not 
omit  to  mention  that  the  measurement  of  horses  Is 
taken  from  the  highest  point  of  the  withers  to  the 
ground.  A  horse  is  measured  by  hands  and  inches, 
not,  as  in  humans,  by  feet  and  Inches.  A  hand  is 
4  In.,  therefore  an  animal  of  15  hands  is  5  ft.  In 
height  ;  16  hands,  5  ft.  4  in.  ;  17  hands,  5  ft.  8  in.  ; 
and  one  of   17-2 — which  would  be   a  gigantic  height 


DOCKING.  21 

In  a  saddle  horse,  but  not  in  a  cart  horse  —  would 
be  5  ft.  lo  In.  high.  A  woman  of  medium  height, 
like  myself,  who  stands  5  ft.  3  In.  In  ''  stocking- 
feet  "  —  a  height,  by  -  the  -  bye,  which  is  accorded 
to  the  Venus  de  Medici  (we  might  make  use  of 
that  fact  on  being  termed  "little")  —  would  find  a 
horse  of  15-1  or  15-2  a  very  nice,  useful  height; 
though  she  need  by  no  means  limit  herself  to  height 
with  any  horse  which  is  springy  and  active,  does  not 
require  a  great  amount  of  collecting,  is  easy  in  his 
paces,  and  has  a  good  mouth.  The  bigger  a  horse  is, 
the  more  fatiguing  do  we  find  him  to  ride,  if  his  mouth, 
manners,  and  paces  are  not  thoroughly  "made."  The 
late  Esa  bin  Curtis,  a  celebrated  Arab  horse  dealer,  in 
speaking  of  big  buck-jumping  Walers,  said,  "God 
hath  not  made  man  equal  unto  them,"  and,  how- 
ever well  a  woman  may  ride,  it  is  no  pleasure  to  find 
herself  breathless  and  exhausted  in  her  efforts  to 
control  such  animals.  On  the  other  hand,  many  small 
horses  which  play  up  are  most  difficult  to  sit,  lor, 
although  they  may  not  take  their  rider's  breath  aw^ay 
by  their  display  of  physical  power,  they  are  like  quick- 
silver on  a  frying-pan,  and  highly  test  our  agility  in  the 
matter  of  balance  and  grip. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  chapter  on  ladies'  horses  with- 
out expressing  my  strong  condemnation  of  the  sense- 
less and  cruel  practice  of  docking  riding  horses,  which 
has  nothing  In  Its  favour  except  Its  conformance  to 
fashion,  and  which  in  this  case  Is  disgusting  cruelty. 
Thoroughbred  horses  are  never  docked,  whether  they 


22  HORSES    FOR    LADIES. 

be  used  for  racing,  steeplechasing  or  hunting,  and  it  is 
a  monstrous  thing  to  mutilate  unfortunate  half-breds, 
especially  mares,  and  condemn  them  to  be  tortured  by 
flies,  and  to  have  the  most  sensitive  parts  of  their 
bodies  turned  into  a  safe  camping  ground  for  insects, 
simply  because  these  poor  animals  have  a  stain  in  their 
pedigree.  In  summer  time,  when  flies  are  troublesome, 
we  may  often  see  a  long-tailed  brood  mare  at  grass 
protecting  both  herself  and  her  suckling  foal  from 
these  irritating  pests  by  the  free  use  of  her  tail  ;  but 
docked  mares  are  deprived  of  this  means  of  driving 
away  insects,  and  have  been  known  to  unwittingly 
injure  their  young  by  kicking  and  plunging  violently  in 
their  efforts  to  rid  themselves  of  attacking  flies.  The 
unfortunate  foal  is  unable  to  take  its  natural  nourish- 
ment in  peace,  and  consequently  does  not  thrive  so 
well  as  does  the  offspring  of  an  unmutilated  mother. 
One  of  the  feeble  arguments  set  forth  in  favour  of 
docking  is,  that  it  prevents  a  hunter  from  soiling  the 
coat  of  his  rider  by  his  tail ;  but,  as  my  husband  truly 
says  in  his  new  edition  of  Veterinary  Notes  for  Horse 
Owners,  "  This  idea  is  an  absurdity,  because  an  un- 
docked  horse  cannot  reach  his  rider  with  his  tail,  if  it  is 
banged  short,  which  is  a  fact  known  to  all  military 
men.  Besides,  mud  on  a  hunting  coat  is  '  clean 
dirt.'  "  The  actual  pain  caused  by  the  operation 
is  trivial  as  compared  with  the  life-long  misery  to 
which  tailless  horses  are  subjected,  for  we  deprive 
them  for  ever  of  their  caudal  appendage,  and  the 
ridiculous    stump    sticking    up    where    the    tail    ought 


DOCKING.  23 

to  be,  is  as  ungraceful  as  It  is  Indecent,  especially 
in  the  case  of  mares.  Our  friend,  the  late  Dr.  George 
Fleming,  says  In  The  Wanton  Mutilation  of  Animals ^ 
"  nothing  can  be  more  painful  and  disgusting  to  the 
real  horseman  and  admirer  of  this  most  symmetrically 
formed  and  graceful  animal  than  the  existence  of  this 
most  detestable  and  torturing  fashion  ;  and  those  who 
perform  the  operation  or  sanction  it  are  not  humane, 
nor  are  they  horsemen,  but  rather  are  they  horse- 
maimers  and  promoters  of  the  worst  form  of  cruelty 
to  animals.  Let  anyone  go  to  Rotten  Row  during  the 
season,  and  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  extent  to  which 
the  fashion  prevails,  and  the  repulsive  appearance 
which  otherwise  beautiful  horses  present.  The 
astonishing  and  most  saddening  feature  of  the  eques- 
trian promenade  Is  the  presence  of  ladies  riding  mares 
which  are  almost  tailless.  Surely  a  plea  might  be 
entered  here  for  the  use  of  a  fig-leaf  to  clothe  the 
nude."  I  feel  sure  that  if  my  sex  had  a  voice  in  the 
matter,  this  wholesale  mutilation  of  mares  would 
soon  cease.  Dr.  Fleming,  writing  in  the  Nineteenth 
Centtcry  over  twenty  years  ago,  said  :  *'  I  hope  and 
believe  that  when  the  horse-loving  public  and  the 
friends  of  animals  begin  to  realise  how  cruel  and 
degrading  some  of  these  mutilations  are,  they  will  not 
be  long  In  having  them  suppressed  "  ;  but  the  horse- 
lovers  do  not  appear  to  have  done  much  In  this  matter 
so  far.  This  writer  tells  us  that  ''the  ancient  Welsh 
laws  protected  it "  (the  horse's  tail)  "  from  harm  at  the 
hands  of  man,"  and  that  "an  ecclesiastical  canon  was 


24  HORSES    FOR   LADIES. 

issued  in  order  to  prevent  it  from  being  damaged  in 
the  eighth  century."  Cannot  our  laws  do  something  to 
protect  mares,  at  any  rate,  from  the  cruelty  of  docking 
in  the  twentieth  century  ?  Dr.  Fleming,  in  reviewing 
the  history  of  docking  from  its  earliest  times,  tells  us 
that  he  saw  an  old  print  "  which  represented  a  very 
emaciated  horse,  with  a  fashionable  tail,  standing  in  a 
luxuriant  meadow,  his  body  covered  with  flies,  which 
prevented  him  from  grazing,  and  from  which  he  could 
not  free  himself;  a  notice  board  in  the  field  announced 
that  horses  were  taken  in  to  graze,  those  with  undocked 
tails  at  six  shillings  a  week  and  docked  ones  at 
eighteenpence." 

When  Voltaire  visited  this  country  in  the  first 
quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century,  he  was  so  impressed 
with  our  barbarity,  especially  in  the  cutting  off  the 
tails  of  our  horses,  that  he  could  not  refrain  from  giving 
vent  to  one  of  his  pungent  sarcasms  in  the  following 
epigram  : — 

''  Vous  fiers  Anglois 

Barbaras  que  vous  etes 

Coupez  la  tete  aux  rois 
Et  la  queue  a  vos  betes  ; 

Mais  les  Francois, 

Polis  et  droits, 

Aiment  les  lois, 
Laissent  la  queue  aux  betes 

Et  la  tete  a  leurs  rois." 


25 


CHAPTER     III. 
SIDE-SADDLES. 

Description  of  a  Side-Saddle — Saddle  Tree — Covering  of  a  Side-Saddle — 
Panel — The  Leaping  Head — Stirrup  Leather — Safety  Bars — Safety  Stirrups 
— Girths — Balance  Strap — Breast-plate — Weight  of  a  Side-Saddle — Shape 
of  the  Seat  of  a  Side-Saddle — The  Saddle  must  Fit  the  Rider— Crupper- 
Numdahs  and  Saddle  Cloths — Side-Saddles  for  Children— Saddling  a  Horse 
— Prevention  of  Sore  Backs— Cleaning  a  Side-Saddle. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    A    SIDE-SADDLE. 

A  PROPERLY  made  side-saddle  consists  of  the  following 
parts  : — 

1.  A  tree,  which  is  a  wooden  frame  that  is 
strengthened  with  steel  and  iron,  and  is  provided  with 
an  uppej"  crtitch  [near  head)  and  webs. 

2.  A  leather  cove7'ing\  which  comprises  the  seat, 
off  flap,  and  safe,  which  is  the  trade  term  for  the 
near  flap. 

3.  A  panel  (or  cushion),  which  is  placed  underneath 
the  tree,  so  as  to  protect  the  animal's  back  from  the 
hurtful  pressure  of  the  unprotected  tree. 

4.  A  leaping  head,  which  helps  the  lady  to  obtain 
security  of  seat. 

5.  A  stirrup  leather. 

6.  A  stirrup  iron. 


26  SIDE-SADDLES. 

7.  A  stirrup  bar  for  the  stirrup  leather. 

8.  Girths. 

9.  Balance  strap. 

To  these   ordinary  components  of  a  side-saddle,   a 


Fig.  8. — Side  view  of  saddle  tree. 

breast-plate  and  5^^^^/^  <:/^^/^  or  numdah  are  sometimes 
added.      On  rare  occasions  a  crupper  Is  used. 


SADDLE    TREE. 

The  tree  (Figs.  8,  9,  10,  and  1 1)  consists  of  two  bars 
(side  boards),  which  are  connected  together  in  front 


SADDLE   TREE. 


27 


by  the  pommel,  and  behind  by  the  cantle.  The 
pommel  is  made  up  of  a  gullet  plate,  which  is  a 
steel  arch  that  goes  over  the  withers,  and  its  cover- 
ings.    The  points  of  the  tree  are  connected,  one  on 


Fig.  9. — Underneath  view  of  saddle  tree. 

each  side,  to  the  front  ends  of  the  bars  and  to  the 
gullet  plate,  and  they  point  downwards.  The  stir^'up 
bar,  which  should  be  of  a  safety  pattern,  is  attached 
to  the  near  bar,  a  little  lower  down  than  the  leaping 
head. 


28  SIDE-SADDLES. 

The  webs  (Fig.  ii)  of  a  tree  are  strong  hempen 
bands  which  cover  the  open  space  down  the  centre 
of  the  tree,  and  are  nailed,  at  one  end,  to  the  pommel, 
and  at  the  other  end  to  the  cantle.  They  are  tightly 
stretched,  in  order  to  give  the  rider  a  comfortable 
seat,  and  to  keep  her  weight  off  the  horse's  back- 
bone. 

The  office  of  the  bars  of  the  tree  is  to  evenly  dis- 
tribute the  rider's  weight,  by  means  of  the  panel,  over 
the  muscles  which  run  along  each  side  of  the  horse's 
backbone,  and  which  form  the  only  suitable  bearing 
surfaces  for  the  purpose  in  question.  No  weight 
should  fall  on  the  animal's  backbone,  because  it  is  very 
sensitive  to  pressure,  even  when  the  pressure  is  well 
distributed.  In  order  to  obtain  this  indispensable 
condition  of  evenly-distributed  pressure,  the  bars  of 
the  tree  of  a  saddle  which  is  to  be  made  for  a  particular 
horse,  should  accurately  fit  the  bearing  surfaces  of  the 
back  upon  which  they  rest,  and  should  be  well  away 
from  the  backbone  ;  in  fact,  the  distance  between  the 
bars  should  not  be  less  than  four  inches.  When  the 
rider  is  In  the  saddle,  a  fair  amount  of  space  should 
exist  between  the  gullet  plate  and  the  withers,  so  that 
no  injurious  pressure  may  fall  on  the  top  or  sides  of 
the  withers,  which  are  particularly  susceptible  to  inflam- 
mation from  this  cause. 

In  order  to  avoid  giving  an  undue  height  to  the 
pommel,  with  the  object  of  keeping  it  off  the  withers, 
it  should  be  "cut  back"  (Fig.  i  i),  although  this 
cutting    back    need   not   be   carried    to    the    excessive 


SADDLE   TREE. 


29 


extent  that  is  sometimes  practised.      In  a  man's  saddle, 
the  pommel  is  generally  straight. 

The  points  of  the  tree  should  accurately  fit  the 
parts  upon  which  they  rest,  so  as  to  prevent  any 
*'  wobbling  "  of  the  saddle.  The  near  point  of  the 
tree  (Fig.  10)  is  usually  made  long,  with  the  idea  of 


Fig.  10. — P'ront  view  of  saddle  tree. 

helping  the  saddle  to  keep  in  its  place  ;  but  if  this  is 
done,  the  oft  point  should  be  comparatively  short, 
because,  if  both  points  be  long,  they  will  be  apt  to 
become  pulled  further  apart  in  the  event  of  the  horse 
turning  round  sharply,  as  he  would  have  to  do  in  a 
narrow  stall,  or  even  when  refusing  a  jump. 

The  tLpper  crutch,  or,  as  it  is  called  by  saddlers,  the 


30  SIDE-SADDLES. 

near  head,  is  a  more  or  less  upright  projection  which  is 
placed  on  the  near  side  of  the  pommel,  in  order  to  give 
support  to  the  rider's  right  leg.  The  slope  and  bearing 
surface  of  this  near  head  should  be  regulated,  so  that 
(as  we  shall  see  further  on)  the  lower  part  of  the  rider's 
right  leg  may  extend  downwards  along  the  shoulder  of 
the  horse,  and  that  the  lady  may  be  able  to  exert  full 
pressure  against  the  near  head,  by  the  inward  rotation 
of  her  thigh  (p.  157).  The  height  of  the  near  head 
depends  on  the  thickness  of  the  rider's  thigh,  because 
a  fat  leg  will  require  a  higher  crutch  than  a  thin  one. 
If  the  upper  crutch  be  unduly  long,  it  will  push  the 
skirt  up  and  give  it  a  bad  appearance.  We  must, 
however,  bear  in  mind  that  if  it  is  too  short  for  its 
legitimate  purpose,  it  will  afford  an  insecure  grip  to 
the  right  leg,  which  is  a  consideration  that  must  not  be 
neglected. 

Before  the  leaping  head  (p.  ^x)  was  invented,  side- 
saddles were  provided  with  an  off  cmtch,  which  was 
placed  on  the  offside  of  the  pommel.  In  a  very  old 
saddle  which  I  saw,  it  took  the  form  of  an  upright 
handle,  which  was  placed  parallel  to  the  direction  of 
the  withers,  and  which  apparently  was  intended  to  be 
grasped  by  the  right  hand  of  the  rider  in  case  of  emer- 
gency. In  a  saddle  of  mine,  which  is  about  100  years 
old,  the  off  crutch  projects  horizontally  to  the  right. 
Fifty  years  ago,  the  off  crutch  was  almost  always 
upright,  and  was  often  placed  so  close  to  the  near 
crutch  that  the  rider  was  able  to  get  a  fairly  firm 
support  for  her  right  leg  by  jamming  it  between   these 


OFF   CRUTCH. 


31 


two  crutches.  As  the  great  utiHty  of  the  leaping  head 
received  increasingly  wide  recognition,  the  off  crutch 
underwent  a  gradual  process  of  decadence,  because  it 
is  of  no  benefit  to  a  rider  who  understands  the  use  of  a 


Fig.  II. — Underneath  view  of  saddle  tree  and  its  webs. 

leaping  head.  Indications  of  its  previous  existence 
may  occasionally  be  seen,  especially  abroad,  in  the 
form  of  an  entirely  useless  thickening  of  the  off  side  of 
the  pommel. 


32  SIDE-SADDLES. 


COVERING    OF    A    SIDE-SADDLE. 

The  seats  of  good  saddles  are  generally  of  pigskin, 
and  the  flaps  of  cow-hide.  The  fact  of  the  seat  being 
of  buckskin  or  other  rough  leather  will  increase  the 
lady's  security  in  the  saddle,  but  may  somewhat  detract 
from  the  smartness  of  her  appearance,  especially  if  the 
leather  is  white.  I  can  see  no  objection  to  the  seat  of 
the  saddle  being  of  rough  brown  leather.  Formerly,  all 
side-saddles  had  a  "  stuffed  safe,"  in  which  the  front  part 
of  the  near  flap  is  padded,  but  nowadays  it  is  rarely, 
if  ever,  used  by  smart  hunting  people.  It  is  evidently 
the  surviving  remains  of  the  voluminous  pad,  upon 
which  ladies  used  to  rest  the  lower  part  of  their  right 
leg  in  the  days  before  the  leaping  head  was  in- 
vented. Ornamental  stitching  about  the  seat  and  safe 
of  a  saddle  is  equally  out  of  date. 

PANEL. 

It  is  all  important  that  the  panel  should  be  so  care- 
fully stuffed,  that  the  rider's  weight  will  be  evenly  dis- 
tributed over  the  bearing  surfaces  of  her  animal's  back. 
Even  if  this  is  done  to  perfection,  the  desirable  arrange- 
ment will  last  for  only  a  short  time,  if  the  stuffing  is  of 
the  wrong  kind  of  material.  Instead  of  using  fine  wool 
(best  flock),  incompetent  or  unduly  economical  saddlers 
often  employ  flock  which  is  largely  composed  of  cotton 
waste,  and,  consequently,  when  they  stuff  or  re-stuff  a 
saddle,  lumps,  from  the  absorption  of  perspiration,  are 


LEAPING    HEAD.  33 

apt  to  form  In  the  panel,  with  the  frequent  result  of  a 
sore  back.  Although  the  stuffing  of  side-saddles  is 
too  technical  a  subject  to  attack  in  these  pages,  I  would 
fail  in  my  duty  to  my  readers  if  I  omitted  to  advise 
them  always  to  go  to  a  first-class  saddler  for  a  new 
saddle,  or  to  get  an  old  one  re-stufted,  which  should  be 
done  as  may  be  required,  preferably,  before  the  begin- 
ning of  the  hunting  season,  supposing  that  the  saddle 
has  seen  a  good  deal  of  service.  It  is  often  thought 
that  expert  saddlers  are  to  be  found  only  in  London  ; 
but  if  a  saddler  is  clever  at  his  trade,  the  fact  of  his 
having  a  shop  in  a  good  hunting  district,  must  be  a 
great  advantage  to  him  in  studying  the  requirements 
of  riding  people. 


THE    LEAPING    HEAD 

was  invented  about  1830  by  M.  Pellier,  who  was  well 
known  in  Paris  as  a  riding  master.  Its  object  is 
to  help  the  rider  to  obtain  security  of  seat  by  a  fixed 
surface  against  which  she  can  press  the  front  and  lower 
part  of  her  left  thigh.  Before  the  invention  of  the 
leaping  head,  ladies  had  to  rely  entirely  on  the  right  leg 
for  grip,  and  consequently  few,  if  any  of  them,  were 
able  to  hunt.  Mr.  John  Allen,  who  wrote  Modern 
Riding,  in  1825,  tells  us  that  *'the  left  leg  is  nearly,  if 
not  wholly  useless  ;  for  though  a  stirrup  is  placed  on  the 
foot,  the  only  use  of  it  is  to  ease  the  leg  a  little,  which, 
for  want  of  practice,  might  ache  by  dangling  and 
suspension." 

3 


34  .  SIDE-SADDLES. 

The  following  are  the  chief  points  to  be  considered 
about  a  leaping  head  : — 

I.    Its  curve  should  be  so  arranged  that  the  harder 
a  lady  presses  against  it,  the  more  will  her  left  leg  be 
carried  inwards,   so  that  the  flat  (inside)  of  her   knee 
may  be  brought  in  contact  with  the   flap  of  the  saddle 
(Fig.  12).      An  ordinary  leaping   head    is  curved,  as  a 
rule,    in    such   a  manner    that  when  a   rider    seeks   to 
obtain  support  from  it  by  the  pressure  of  her  left  leg, 
this  limb  is  carried  outwards,  and  she  is  able  to  get  a 
point  d'appui  only  at  the  extreme  end  of  this  projec- 
tion (Fig.  13).      It  is   evident  that  the  closer  the  left 
leo-    is    to    the    saddle,    the    firmer    will    be    the     seat. 
Besides,   the    more    the  left    leg   is  brought   outwards, 
the  more  weight  will  be  put  on  the  near  side,  which, 
as  we  shall  see  further   on,  is   the  very  thing  a  rider 
ought  to  avoid. 

2.  The  leaping  head  should  be  close  to  the  upper 
crutch  (Figs.  12  and  16).  The  usual  plan  of  putting 
it  much  lower  down  (Fig.  15)  tends  to  bring  the 
weight  to  the  near  side,  a  fact  which  can  be  easily 
tested,  especially  in  trotting,  by  trying  the  improve- 
ment in  question,  which  was  suggested  to  me  by  Mr. 
Ford  of  Rugby,  who  is  a  very  competent  and  ex- 
perienced saddler. 

3.  Usually,  the  leaping  head  is  attached  to  the  tree 
by  means  of  a  screw,  which  is  an  arrangement  that 
has  the  disadvantage  of  not  allowing  the  leaping  head 
to  be  placed  close  to  the  upper  crutch.      If  the  leaping 


LEAPING    HEAD. 


35 


head  is  riveted  on  to  the  tree  (as  in  Figs.  lo  and  i6), 
which  is  the  better  plan,  it  can  be  placed  as  near 
as  we  like   to  the  upper  crutch,  and    it    will  have  no 


Fig.  12.— Grip  with  improved  leaping  head. 

tendency  to  wobble  about,  as  it  would  be  apt  to  do,  if 
it  was  fixed  by  a  screw.  As  the  screws  of  the  leaping 
heads   of   cheap    saddles    are    almost  always   made  of 


,* 


36  SIDE-SADDLES. 

annealed  Iron,  which  is  a  form  of  cast-iron,  it  is  not 
an  uncommon  occurrence  for  the  screw  of  one  of 
these  saddles  to  break,  w^hich  is  more  apt  to  occur 
at  a  critical  moment,  as  for  instance  when  the  horse 
is  jumping  or  "  playing  up,"  than  when  he  is  going 
quietly.  On  the  only  occasion  I  ever  rode  over  a 
fence  in  one  of  these  cheap  Walsall  saddles,  the 
screw  broke,  but  luckily  I  "remained." 

4.  When  the  leaping  head  is  a  fixture,  the  bearing 
surface  which  it  presents  to  the  rider's  left  leg- 
should  be  in  the  same  direction  as  the  upper  part  of 
that  limb,  so  that  the  pressure  on  it  may  be  evenly 
distributed.  By  placing  a  straight  stick  under  the 
leaping  head,  and  holding  it  in  the  direction  which 
the  left  thigh  would  occupy,  when  the  rider  is  mounted, 
we  can  easily  see  If  the  bearing  surface  Is  In  the  proper 
position. 

5.  As  an  aid  to  security  of  seat,  it  is  well  to  have 
the  under  surface  of  the  leaping  head  and  the  off  side 
of  the  upper  crutch  covered  with  rough  brown  leather, 
which,  we  should  bear  in  mind,  Is  concealed  from 
view,  when  the  lady  Is  In  the  saddle,  and  conse- 
quently it  will  not  detract  from  the  smartness  of  her 
appearance. 

STIRRUP-LEATHER. 

The  Stirrup-leather,  which  Is  on  the  near  side, 
should  always  be  attached  to  a  bar,  and  not,  as  is 
sometimes     done,     to    the     balance     strap     (p.     53)  ; 


STIRRUP-LEATHER. 


37 


because,   In    this   case,    Its    length   will   be  subject    to 
frequent  variation,   not    only    when    the  saddle  Is  put 


Fig.   13. — Grip  with  ordinary  leaping  head. 


on  different  animals,  but  also  when  the  horse  gets 
slack  In  his  girth  from  work.  When  It  Is  fixed  to  a 
bar,  which  should  always    be    of    the  safety  kind,   no 


38  •  SIDE-SADDLES. 

alteration  in  the  correct  length  of  the  leather  will  take 
place. 

The  arrangement  for  undoing  the  stirrup-leather 
is  in  the  most  convenient  position  when  it  is  close 
to  the  iron,  and  not  in  proximity  to  the  stirrup-bar, 
as  is  the  case  in  a  man's  hunting  saddle.  If  the 
leather  is  used  in  the  latter  manner,  the  buckle 
will  be  apt  to  hurt  the  inside  of  the  lady's  left  leg, 
when  she  brings  the  knee  close  to  the  flap  of  the 
saddle ;  and  it  will  be  more  inconvenient  to  alter 
the  length  of  the  leather,  when  the  lady  is  mounted, 
than  if  the  buckle  or  hook  was  low  down.  The 
hook  (Fig.  14)  is  better  than  a  buckle,  because  it  lies 
flatter  and  is  easier  to  arrange. 

SAFETY    BARS. 

A  safety  bar  is  a  bar  which  will  release  the  leather, 
in  the  event  of  the  rider  falling  from  the  saddle,  and 
at  the  same  time  getting  her  foot  caught  in  the 
stirrup-iron.  To  be  reliable,  it  should  do  this, 
whether  the  lady  falls  on  the  near  side,  or  on  the 
off  side.  The  best  safety  bar  which  has  up  to 
the  present  been  put  before  the  public,  is  un- 
doubtedly Champion  and  Wilton's  latest  pattern. 
It  releases  with  absolute  certainty  on  both  sides, 
and  can  be  fitted  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will 
allow  the  flat  of  the  left  leg  to  be  brought  close  to  the 
saddle.  As  safety  bars  and  safety  stirrups  are  the 
only   means   for  ensuring  a  lady    from  being  dragged 


SAFETY   BARS. 


39 


0 


by  her  stirrup,  and  as  Champion  and  Wilton's  safety 
bar  Is  more    reliable    In   this  respect  than   any   safety 


Fig.   14. — Hook  for  stirrup  leather. 


Stirrup,  It  Stands  to  reason  that  It  should  be  used 
with  every  side-saddle.  With  this  bar  on  a  saddle, 
there   Is    of  course     no    objection     to     the    use    of    a 


40 


SIDE-SADDLES. 


safety  stirrup,  in  order  to  make  "  doubly  sure."  It 
is  usually  fitted  with  a  thick  fiap  (Fig.  15),  which 
prevents  the  left  leg  from  being  brought  close  to  the 
saddle;  but  this  objection  can  be  removed  by  the 
adoption  of  Mr.    Ford's   plan   of  gready  reducing  the 


Fig.  15. — Leaping  head  too  low  down. 

size  of  the  flap  of  the  bar,  and  making  it  fit  into 
an  opening  cut  out  of  the  near  flap  of  the  saddle 
(Fig.  16).  I  have  found  this  arrangement  a  great 
improvement  on  the  old  clumsy  flap,  the  lower  edge 
of  w^hich  is  unpleasantly  apt  to  catch  on  the  rider's 
boot,  especially  when  trotting.  I  shall  discuss  the 
failings  of  safety  stirrups  further  on. 


SAFETY   BARS. 


41 


Owing  to  the  position  which  a  lady  occupies  In  a 
slde-sacldle,  she  is  often  inclined  to  draw  her  foot 
back  to  such  an  extent  that  she  would  pull  the 
leather  out   of  the  bar,    if  the  action   of  the  bar  was 


Fig,   16. — Side  view  of  a  properly  made  saddle. 

similar  to  that  of  a  man's  saddle  ;  but  a  Champion 
and  Wilton's  bar  Is  so  devised  that  It  will  free  the 
leather,  only  when  the  pressure  of  the  left  leg  Is 
removed  from  the  flap  of  the  bar,  In  which  case 
the   lady  will   have    quitted    the    saddle.       Hence,    as 


42  SIDE-SADDLES. 

long  as  she  keeps  her  seat,  she  cannot  pull  the 
leather  out  of  the  bar  by  drawing  back  her  left  leg. 
The  only  thing  which  prevents  this  safety  arrange- 
ment from  being  absolutely  perfect,  is  the  liability 
the  leather  has  of  falling  out  of  the  bar  and 
becoming  lost,  in  the  event  of  the  rider  severing 
her  connection  with  the  saddle,  in  which  case  the 
retaining  action  of  the  flap  on  the  bar  will  cease. 

For  this  emergency,  Messrs.  Champion  and  Wilton 
provide  side  saddles  with  a  small  leather  case  which 
contains  an  extra  stirrup,  and  which  is  attached  to 
the  near  side  of  the  saddle,  so  that  it  is  concealed 
from  view,  when  the  lady  is  mounted  (Fig.  ly).  The 
weight  of  the  stirrup  and  case  is  only  half  a  pound. 


SAFETY    STIRRUPS, 

both  for  men  and  ladies,  have  been  in  existence 
for  hundreds  of  years.  Apparently  the  first  variety 
of  this  contrivance  was  the  capped  stirrup-iron,  either 
simple  (Fig.  18)  or  in  the  form  of  a  slipper  (Fig. 
19),  which  was  provided  with  an  arrangement  on 
its  sole  that  prevented  the  toe  of  the  slipper  from 
yielding  to  dowiiward  pressure,  but  allowed  it  to 
revolve  upwards,  and  thus  to  facilitate  the  release  of 
the  foot,  in  the  event  of  a  fall.  The  simple  capped 
stirrup  was  used  by  ancient  Spanish  Cavaliers,  and 
is  still  employed  by  many  of  their  descendants  in 
America.  In  apparent  oblivion  of  these  facts,  the 
Christie    stirrup    (Fig.    20),    made   on    the    samc^    prin- 


SAFETY   STIRRUPS. 


43 


ciple,   was    patented    about    four  years    ago.      Besides 
its    undue  weight  {i%  lb.  as  compared   to  the    j4  lb. 


M 


Fig,  17. — Champion  and  Wilton's  extra  stirrup  case. 

of  the  sHpper  stirrup),  it  has  the  further  disadvantage 
of  allowing  the    possibility    of    the    toe    being    caught 


44 


SIDE-SADDLES. 


between    its    bars    (Fig.     21).       Want    of    neatness 
appears  to  have  been  the  only  cause  of  the  abandon- 


Fig.  18. — Capped  stirrup-iron. 


Fig.  19. — Slipper  stirrup. 


Fig.  20. — The  Christie  stirrup. 


ment  of  the  capped    stirrup,   which    is    certainly    safer 
than  any    of   its    successors,   the  first    English    one    of 


SAFETY    STIRRUPS. 


45 


which  appears  to  have  been  the  Latchford  safety 
stirrup  (Fig.  22).  It  consists  of  two  irons  ;  the 
small    one,    which    is    placed     within    the     large    one, 


P'ig.  21. — Foot  caught. 


being  made  to  come  out  the  moment  the  foot  gets 
dragged  in  it,  in  which  case  it  parts  company  with 
its  fellow,  and  is  then  liable  to  get  lost.  The  Scott 
safety  stirrup   (Figs.    23   and    24)  has   not    this    fault. 


46 


SIDE-SADDLES. 


for  its  Inner  iron  always  retains  its  connection  with 
the  outer  one,  and  can  be  replaced  without  delay, 
if  the  ladv  after  her  tumble  desires  to  remount. 
The  Latchford,  Scott  ordinary,  and  Cope  safety 
stirrup  (Figs.  25  and  26)  open  only  one  way,  so 
that  the  foot,  when  correctly  placed  in  any  of  them, 
may   not  be   liable,    as   in   the  event  of  a  fall,    to    be 


Fig.  22. — Latchford  stirrup. 


Fig.  23. — Scott's  stirrup. 


forced  through  the  outer  iron,  in  which  case  the 
lady  would  almost  to  a  certainty  get  hung  up 
if  her  saddle  w^as  not  provided  with  a  safety 
bar.  In  these  stirrups,  the  side  of  the  "tread,"* 
which  ought  to  be  to  the  rear,  is  generally  indicated 
by    the    fact    of   its     being    straight,    while    the    other 


*  The   "tread"  is  the  part  of  the  stirrup-iron  on  which  the  sole  of  the  rider's 
boot  rests. 


SAFETY    STIRRUPS. 

side   is   curved   (Fig.    24).      This  is   done  in   Fig. 
by   the   word    "  heel." 


47 


27, 


The  chief  faults  of  so-called  safety  stwrups  are 
as   follows  : — 

I.  They  may  catch  on  the  foot,  on  account  of  get- 
ting crushed  by  coming  in  violent   contact  with  a  tree, 


Fig.  24. — Scott's  stirrup  open. 

wall  or  other  hard  object,  or  by  the  horse  falling  on  his 
near  side.  When  I  was  living  in  India,  I  had  a  Scott 
safety  stirrup  jammed  on  my  foot  in  this  manner,  by  a 
horse  which  I  was  riding,  making  a  sudden  shy  and 
dashing  against  a  wall.  The  iron  was  so  firmly  fixed 
to  my  foot  by  this  accident,  that  it  could  not  be  taken 
off    until,    after   much   pain  and  trouble,   my  foot  was 


48 


SIDE-SADDLES. 


freed  from  both  boot  and  stirrup.  Had  I  been  un- 
seated, I  would  probably  have  been  killed,  because  my 
saddle  had  not  a  safety  bar. 

2.  Those  which  open  only  when  the  foot  is  put  Into 
them  in  one  way,  are  apt  to  cause  a  fatal  accident  if 
put  in  the  wrong  way,  which  may  easily  happen  from 


Fig.  25.     Cope's  stirrup. 


carelessness  or  ignorance  (p.  64).  The  methods 
(straight  edge  of  ''tread,"  or  word  "heel")  used 
with  these  stirrups,  to  Indicate  the  proper  side  on 
which  to  put  the  foot  into  the  Iron,  may  convey  no 
meaning  to  persons  who  are  not  well  acquainted  with 
the  details  of  side-saddle  gear,  and  In  moments  of 
hurry  and  excitement  may  be  easily  overlooked. 
3.   Any  ordinary  safety  stirrup  which  is  used  without 


SAFETY    STIRRUPS. 


49 


a  safety  bar  may  cause  a  lady  to  get  ''hungup,"  if 
she  is  thrown  to  the  offside  and  her  heel  gets'jammed 
against  the  saddle  in  the  manner  shown  in  Fig.  28. 


Fig.  26.— Foot>eIeased  by  Cope's  stirrup. 

^  4.   If  the   outer   iron    is   small  in    comparison  to  the 
size  of  the  foot,  the  rider  may  easily  get  dragged. 

5.    If  the   outer  iron   of  a   Scott's   reversible  safety 
stirrup  is  large  in  comparison  to  the  size  of  the  foot  (as 

4 


50 


SIDE-SADDLES. 


in  the  case  of  a  young  girl),  the  rider  may  get  dragged 
in  the  event  of  a  fall,  by  the  foot  going  through  the 
stirrup.  Accidents  caused  by  a  foot  going  through  a 
stirrup  have  often  occurred  to  men  from  falls  when 
hunting  and  steeplechasing. 

Some  ladies  think  it   ''  smart  "  to  ride  with  a  man's 


Fig.  27. — Scott's  stirrup. 

ordinary  stirrup  iron,  or  (madder  still)  with  a  small 
racing  stirrup,  attached  to  a  leather  which  does  not 
come  out.  I  once  saw  a  lady  who  adopted  this  sense- 
less plan  fall  and  get  dragged.  By  an  extraordinary 
piece  of  good  luck  she  was  saved  from  a  horrible  death 
by  her  boot  coming  off. 

All  that  can  be  said  in  favour  of  safety  stirrups,   is 


GIRTHS. 


5^ 


that  they  are  less  liable  to  cause  accidents  than  ordinary 
stirrups.  The  fact  remains,  that  the  danger  of  being- 
dragged  by  the  stirrup  can  be  entirely  obviated  only 
by  the  use  of  an  efficient  safety  bar. 


Fig.  28.— Fool  caui^ht  on  ofif  side. 


GIRTHS. 

In  referring  to  this  subject,  I  cannot  do  better  than 
give  the  following  extract  from  Riding  and  Hunting  :-^ 

"  Girths,  while  fulfilling  their  duty  of  efficiently 
keeping    the    saddle  on   a   hor.se\s  back,   should  be  as 


# 


52  SIDE-SADDLES. 

little  liable  as  possible  to  hurt  the  surface  on  which 
they  press.  Hence  they  should  be  broad,  soft,  and 
constructed  so  that  their  tendency  to  retain  sweat 
between  them  and  the  horse's  skin  may  be  reduced  as 
far  as  practicable.  They  can  best  fulfil  the  last-men- 
tioned important  condition  when  they  are  absorbent 
and  open  in  texture.  It  is  evident  that  sweat  retained 
between  the  girth  and  the  skin  will  have  the  effect  of 
the  moisture  of  a  poultice  in  rendering  the  part  soft 
and  unusually  liable  to  injury  from  pressure  or  friction. 

"  As  a  material  for  girths,  wool  is  superior  to  cotton 
or  leather,  because  it  is  softer,  more  absorbent,  and 
does  not  become  so  hard  on  drying  after  having  become 
wet.  The  only  drawback  to  ordinary  woollen  girths  is 
that  they  are  not  sufficiently  ventilated,  an  objection 
which  has  been  overcome  in  specially  constructed 
woollen  girths  that  are  sold  by  many  good  saddlers. 

"  The  plan  of  giving  ventilation  by  slitting  up  a 
broad  leather  girth  into  several  narrow  straps,  or  by 
using  a  number  of  cords  of  cotton  or  of  plaited  or 
twisted  raw  hide  often  acts  well  ;  but  its  adoption  may 
give  rise  to  girth-galls,  if  care  is  not  taken  to  smooth 
out,  when  girthing  up,  any  wrinkles  there  may  be  In 
the  skin  underneath  the  girth.  It  is  evidently  more 
difficult  for  the  pressure  to  be  evenly  distributed  by 
these  cords,  than  by  a  broad  girth  which  consists  of  one 
piece. 

"  Great  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  girths  clean 
and  soft,  and  to  oil  them  from  time  to  time,  If  they  be 
of  leather. 


BALANX'E    STRAP.  53 

"  I  prefer  a  broad  girth  attached  at  each  side  by 
two  buckles  to  two  narrow  girths.  The  Fitzwihiam 
girth,  which  consists  of  a  broad  girth  with  a  narrow 
one  over  it,  is  handy  with  a  martingale  or  breast-plate, 
through  the  loop  of  which  the  narrow  girth  can  be 
passed." 

In  a  Fitzwilliani  girth,  the  pressure  of  the  narrow- 
one  on  the  centre  of  the  broad  one,  makes  the  edges 
of  the  broad  girth  incline  outwards,  and  thus  apparently 
helps  to  save  the  horse  from  becoming  girth-galled. 

Girths  should  always  be  buckled  high  up  on  the  near 
side,  in  order  to  prevent  their  buckles  hurting  the 
rider's  left  leg,  by  making  an  uncomfortable  bump  in 
the  flap  of  the  saddle  ;  and  also  to  allow  plenty  of 
space  on  the  girth  straps  of  the  off  side,  for  shortening 
the  girths  as  may  be  required. 

BALANCE    STRAP. 

This  is  a  leather  strap  which  is  attached  to  the  off 
side  of  the  rear  part  of  the  saddle,  at  one  end  ;  and  to 
a  strap  close  to  the  girth  straps  of  the  near  side,  at 
the  other  end.  Before  the  days  of  safety  bars,  its  near 
side  end  was  usually  buckled  on  to  the  stirrup  leather, 
which  was  a  faulty  arrangement,  not  only  as  regards 
the  leather  (p.  36),  but  also  because  its  degree  of 
tightness  was  a  constantly  varying  quantity  which  en- 
tirely depended  on  the  amount  of  pressure  that  the  rider 
put  on  her  stirrup.  The  presence  of  a  properly  tight- 
ened balance  strap  helps  to  prevent  lateral  movement 
on  the  part  of  the  saddle.      Also  it  counteracts,  to  some 


54  SIDE-SADDLES. 

extent,  the  excess  of  weight  which  ahiiost  every  rider 
puts  on  the  near  side  of  her  saddle  ;  this  good  effect 
beino-  due  to  the  fact  that  the  off  attachment  of  the 
balance  strap  is  farther  away  from  the  centre  line 
(axis)  of  the  animal's  body  than  the  near  attachment  ;  ' 
and  consequently  the  pull  of  the  balance  strap  on  the 
off  side  acts  to  greater  mechanical  advantage  than  the 
pull  on  the  near  side. 

BREAST-PLATE. 

The  breast-plate  is  attached  at  one  end  to  the  girth 
or  girths,  and  at  the  other  end  to  the  staples  of  the 
saddle.  Its  use  is  to  prevent  the  saddle  shifting  back- 
wards, as  it  might  do  if  the  girths  were  slack,  espe- 
cially if  the  animal  was  very  narrow  waisted.  Even 
with  a  well-shaped  horse,  a  breast-plate  is  often  useful 
on  a  long  day  and  In  a  hilly  country.  It  is  much  In 
favour  with  hunting  ladies.  Staples  are  small  metal 
loops  which  are  fixed  to  the  front  part  of  the  saddle-tree. 

W^EIGHT    OF    A    SIDE-SADDLE. 

In  order  to  avoid  giving  a  horse  a  sore  back  and 
consequently  disabling  him  for  the  time  being,  It  is 
essential  to  have  the  tree  rigid,  so  that  the  weight  may 
remain  evenly  distributed  over  the  bearing  surfaces  of 
his  back,  which  rigidity  cannot  be  obtained  without 
having  the  tree  fairly  heavy.  The  necessary  width 
and  length  of  saddle  and  strength  of  upper  crutch  and 
leaping  head  are  also  questions  of  weight.  Hence  If 
we  require  a  saddle  for  rough  and  dangerous  work  like 


SEAT    OF   SIDE-SADDLE.  55 

hunting,  we  must  not  entertain  the  ridiculous  idea  of 
having  a  light  saddle,  so  that  it  may  look  particularly 
smart.  A  fair  weight  for  a  side-saddle  is  one-seventh  of 
the  weight  of  the  rider,  that  is  to  say,  two  pounds  for 
every  stone  she  weighs,  with  a  minimum  weight  of  18  lbs. 

SHAPE    OF    THE    SEAT    OF    A    SIDE-SADDLE. 

The  level-seated  fad  which  some  fashionable  saddlers 
try  to  impress  on  their  inexperienced  customers  is  an 
absurdity  from    a  hunting  point   of  view,    because  no 
one    out    of    an    idiot    asylum    would    care    to    sit    for 
several  hours  on  a  perfectly  level  surface,   whether  it 
was  a  saddle  or  a  chair.      The  discomfort  which  such 
an    attempt   would  entail,   is  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
nature  of  our  anatomy   requires   a    certain   amount  of 
dip    in   that   portion   of  the  seat  upon   which  most    of 
the    weight    falls.       The    level-seated    idea    is    purely 
theoretical,  because  no  saddles   are  made  in   conform- 
ance  with    it.      For    huntino-   we    must   have   comfort, 
without,   of  course,   any  undue  violation  of  smartness. 
Besides,  a  certain  amount  of  dip  in  the  seat,  similar  to 
that  shown  in  Fig.    16,  is  an  aid  to  security.      A  cut- 
back pommel  (Fig.  11)  improves  the  look  of  a    side- 
saddle without  diminishing  the  rider's  grip.      The  seat 
on  the  near   side   should  be  eased  off,  so  as  to  allow 
the  rider's  left  leg  to. get  close  to  the  horse;  and  the 
near  side,  close  to  the  cantle,  should  be  made  a  little 
higher  than  the  off  side,  in  order  to  correct  any  tendency 
there  may  be  to  sit  too  much  over  on  the  near  side. 
The    saddles    which    I    used   on    Romance  (Fig.   4), 


56  SIDE-SADDLES. 

and  Freddie  (Fig.  7),  about  fifteen  years  ago,  were  not 
called  "level  seated,"  but  we  may  see  that  they  are 
quite  as  neat  and  smart  as  those  of  the  present  time, 
which  fact  shows  that  very  little  change  has  been 
made  in  the  shape  of  side-saddles  since  the  eighties. 

THE    SADDLE    MUST    FIT    THE    RIDER. 

The  two  great  points  in  this   requirement    are  that 
the    upper    crutch    and    leaping    head  should  be   in   a 
suitable  position,  and  the  saddle  sufficiently  long,  so  as 
to  be  about  a  couple  of  inches  clear  of  the  back  of  the 
rider's  seat.     The  right   position  of  the  upper  crutch 
and  leaping  head  can   be  determined   only  by  experi- 
ment.     If  the  tree  is  so  short   as   to  allow  any  undue 
weight  to   fall   on   the   cantle,  the   horse  will   naturally 
run  the  risk  of  getting  a  sore  back.      The  height  of  the 
upper  crutch  and  the   length  of  the   leaping   head  will 
vary  according    to   the    thickness  of    limb.      We  shall 
see    on    pages    150  to   152,  that    the    position    of   the 
upper   crutch  which  will  suit  a  lady  who  hooks  back 
her  right  leg,  will  not  be  applicable  to  one  who  carries 
her    right    foot  forward  ;    and    vice   versa.       A  saddle 
which  suits  a  rider's  style  of  equitation  will  invariably 
fit  her,   if  its    tree  and  its  crutches   are  long   enough. 
Hence,   if  more  than  one  member  of  a  family  wants 
to  ride  and  there  is   only  one   horse,  a   saddle  which 
will  fit  the  biggest  will  suit  all  the  rest. 

CRUPPER. 

The    office   of    a   crupper   is  to  prevent   the  saddle 


NUMDAHS   AND    SADDLE-CLOTHS.  57 

working  forward  on  the  horse's  back,  which  it  will  not 
do  if  the  animal  is  of  a  proper  shape  and  the  girths 
sufficiently  tight,  hi  ancient  days,  when  riding-horses 
were  more  rotund  than  they  are  now,  and  saddles  were 
not  so  well  made,  cruppers  were  generally  used,  but 
within  the  last  forty  years  they  have  gone  entirely  out 
of  fashion.  A  crupper  is  not  to  be  despised  in  out-of- 
the-way  parts  abroad,  when  we  have  to  ride  animals  of 
all  sorts  and  sizes,  and  when  we  have  only  one  saddle. 

NUMDAHS    AND    SADDLE-CLOTHS. 

As  the  principles  which  regulate  the  use  of  these 
appliances  with  cross  saddles  are  the  same  as  those 
with  side  saddles,  I  cannot  do  better  than  give  the 
following  extract  from  Riding  and  Htinting,  with 
one   or  two  additions  : 

"  Saddle-cloths  are  generally  made  of  felt,  and 
their  primary  object  is  to  prevent  the  panel  from 
soaking  up  sweat  and  becoming  thereby  soiled 
and  more  or  less  spoiled.  The  term  numdah  or 
numnah,  which  is  applied  to  felt  saddle-cloths,  is 
derived  from  a  Hindustani  word  that  signifies  'felt.' 
A  saddle-cloth  should  be  as  thin  as  efficiency  in 
serving  its  purpose  will  allow  it  to  be,  so  that  it 
may  give  as  little  play  as  possible  to  the  saddle. 
Although  the  fitting  of  the  saddle  should  as  far  as 
practicable  be  limited  to  the  adjustment  of  the  shape 
of  the  tree  and  to  regulating  the  amount  of  stuffing  in 
the  panel  ;  the  use  of  a  numdah  with  a  saddle  which 
does    not    fit    the    horse   or    which   is  not    sufficiently 


5<s  sidp:-saddles. 

stuffed,  is  often  a  valuable  makeshift  when  necessity 
gives  no  other  choice.  The  employment  of  an 
ordinary  saddle-cloth  is  accompanied  by  the  slight 
disadvantage,  that  the  middle  line  of  the  back  which  is 
covered  by  the  saddle  is  deprived  of  the  benefit  of 
air  circulating  along  it,  by  the  fact  of  the  saddle-cloth 
resting  on  it.  An  attempt  to  remedy  this  objection 
is  sometimes  made  by  cutting  a  longitudinal  piece 
out  of  the  centre  of  the  saddle-cloth.  Here  the  cure 
is  worse  than  the  complaint,  because  injurious  pressure 
will  be  exerted  by  the  edges  of  the  aperture  thus 
made,  especially  if  the  edges  are  bound  w4th  tape,  to 
preserve  them  from  fraying  out. 

"  A  saddle-cloth  should  extend  about  two  inches 
beyond  the  bearing  surfaces  of  the  saddle,  so  that  its 
edges  may  not  give  rise  to  unequal  pressure  on  the 
back,  which  would  occur  if  the  saddle-cloth  was  shorter 
than  the  tree. 

"  Saddle-cloths  made  of  one  thickness  of  leather 
admirably  answer  the  purpose  of  saving  the  panel  from 
injury  ;  but  for  hunting  and  other  long-continued  work 
they  have  the  objection  of  retaining  perspiration, 
instead  of  soaking  it  up,  as  felt  ones  do.  It  is  a 
good  plan  before  using  a  new  saddle-cloth,  to  rub  a 
little  neat's-foot  oil  into  its  rough  (upper)  surface, 
which  is  much  more  absorbent  than  its  smooth  side. 
If  neat's-foot  oil  is  not  at  hand,  cod  liver  oil  or  castor 
oil  may  be  used.  The  oily  application  can  be  repeated, 
according  as  the  leather  gets  dry." 

As  a  substitute  for  a  panel,  Messrs.  Champion   and 


SIDE-SADDLES    EOR   CHILDREN.  59 

Wilton  have  devised  a  numdah  Hned  with  sponglo- 
pIHne  and  covered  with  Hnen,  to  be  used  with  a  saddle, 
the  underneath  part  of  the  tree  of  which  is  covered 
with  leather.  The  chief  advantage  of  this  numdah  Is 
that  a  saddle  which  is  provided  with  two  or  more  of 
them,  can  always  present  a  dry  bearing  surface  to  the 
horse's  back.  A  stout  numdah  of  this  kind  can  be 
used  with  a  high  withered  animal,  and  a  thin  one  with 
a  horse  which  has  thick  withers.  Its  inventors  claim 
that  It  distributes  the  weight  better  and  keeps  the 
saddle  steadier  than  a  panel. 

SIDE-SADDLES    FOR    CHILDREN. 

As  children  are  unable  to  take  the  necessary  pre- 
cautions against  accident,  no  considerations  of  fashion 
or  smartness  should  outweigh  those  of  safety  for  the 
little  ones.  Even  the  old  handle  at  the  off  side  of 
the  saddle  (p.  30)  might  be  a  valuable  help  to  a  very 
young  beginner.  The  seat  of  the  saddle  and  the  bear- 
ing surfaces  of  the  upper  crutch  and  leaping  head  had 
best  be  of  rough  leather,  and  particular  attention 
should  be  paid  to  the  construction  of  the  upper  crutch 
and  leaping  head,  so  that  a  maximum  of  grip  may  be 
obtained,  which  is  a  point  that  is  deplorably  neglected 
by  many  of  the  makers  of  side-saddles  for  children. 
Children  can  ride  in  any  comfortable  saddle,  supposing 
that  it  Is  not  too  small.  I  have  taught  very  small 
girls  to  ride  in  my  saddle  and  jump  without  reins  on 
a  horse  15-3  high.  A  lady  who  attended  one  of  these 
lessons,    which   were   held    in   Ward's   riding-school    in 


6o  SIDE-SADDLES. 

London,  made  two  sketches  of  her  little  friends  which, 
by  the  kind  permission  of   the  Editor   of   the   Qtieen, 
in  which  paper  they  appeared,  I  am  able  to  reproduce. 
We  may  see  that  the  small  horsewoman   is   sitting  well 
over  her  hurdle  and  is  riding  with  comfort  in  a  saddle 
that  is  far  too  large  for  her.      The  lady  friend  of  the 
two  little  girls  wrote  about  our  work  in  the   Queen  of 
June    17,    1893,    as    follows:     "I   made  the    acquaint- 
ance   of    the    authoress    of     The    Horsewoman    one 
morning  in  Ward's   Manege,  where  I   went  to  see  two 
little  friends  taking  their  riding  lesson  from  her.      It 
was    a    novel    and    pretty    sight.       Mrs.    Hayes    has 
inaugurated  a  method  of  instruction    hitherto  unprac- 
tised, and  which  must  recommend  itself  to  any  one  who 
sees  the  extraordinary  progress  which   accompanies  it. 
The  children  are  dressed  in  gymnastic  costume  (Fig. 
29)  and  it  was  the  third  time  only  that  they  had  been 
put  on  a  horse — a  large  horse  it  was  too,  and  as  patient 
and  kindly  as  it  is  possible  to  be.      The  first  thing  Mrs. 
Hayes  teaches  is  how  to  sit.      By  the  pupils  wearing  no 
skirt  she  can  see  at  a  glance  whether  the  position  ot 
the  legs  is  right,   and  this  is  all-important. 

"  By  the  time  I  saw  the  children  they  were  galloping 
gaily  round  and  round,  with  radiant  faces  and  flying 
hair,  sittino-  better  into  the  saddle,  even  at  this  early 
stage,  than  many  a  woman  who  considers  herself  a 
complete  rider.  They  are  not  allowed  to  hold  the 
reins  ;  the  hands  lie  in  the  lap,  holding  the  whip  across 
the  knees,  which  accustoms  them  from  the  first  to 
keep  their  hands  low,  besides  teaching  them  to   keep 


SIDE-SADDLES    FOR    CHILDREN, 


6i 


their  seat  without  '  riding  the  bridle,'  as  so  many- 
people  do.  The  horse  is  driven  with  long  reins,  like 
those  used  in  breaking  by  Captain  Hayes,  and 
managed  by  him  with  the  dexterity  of  a  circus  master. 
After  a  few  turns  at  the  canter,  wicker  hurdles  are  put 
up,  and,  to  my  astonishment,  the  children,  without  the 
slightest   fear  or  hesitation,   settled    themselves   down. 


N 


Fig.  29. — Child  mounted. 

leaned  well  back,  and  popped  over  without  raising 
their  hands  or  altering  the  position  of  their  legs 
(Fig.  30).  They  had  been  over  the  same  hurdles 
at  the  second  lesson,  and  too  much  can  hardly 
be  said  in  praise  of  a  system  that  has  such  re- 
sults to  offer  in  so  short  a  space  of  time.  Mrs. 
Hayes  herself,  as  may  be  supposed,  looks  every  inch 
a  '  workman  '  in  the  saddle.  She  has  ridden  in  most 
quarters  of  the  globe  ;   and,  as  if  she  sighed    for  other 


62  SIDE-SADDLES. 

worlds  to  conquer,  and  were  blasee  about  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  horses,  she  rode  a  zebra  at  Calcutta 
which  was  broken  within  an  hour  by  her  husband 
sufficiently  to  be  saddled  and  bridled.  Her  experi- 
ences on  his  back  are  entertainingly  set  forth  in  her 
book  The  Horsewoman,  which  is  well  worth  the 
reading,  not  only  for  its  hints  on  horsemanship,  but 
for  the  many  amusing  sporting  anecdotes.  Her  other 
book  is  one  which  one  would  hardly  have  expected 
from  a  w^oman  whose  life  has  been  in  so  great  a 
measure  devoted  to  horses  and  sport.  It  is  called 
My  Leper  Friends.  A  friend  indeed  they  must 
have  thought  her,  with  her  devoted  sympathy  and 
repeated  endeavour  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  from 
the  most  distressing  and  repulsive  malady  in  the  world. 
Another  book  is  now  on  the  stocks,  the  preparation  of 
which  keeps  Captain  and  Mrs.  Hayes  for  the  present 
in  England.  That  done,  they  will  soon  start  again  on 
their  travels,  England  being  a  place  that  never  holds 
their  roving  spirits  long.  The  curiosities,  and  beauti- 
ful stuffs  and  feathers,  which  they  have  gleaned  in 
many  lands  will  have  to  disappear  into  big  boxes  and 
be  warehoused,  until  some  fresh  store  of  adventures 
recalls  the  wanderers  home 

''  Meanwhile  she  teaches  the  art,  of  which  she  is 
indeed  a  past  mistress,  in  a  way  which  it  is  a  pleasure 
and  profit  to  see  ;  and  I  can  most  conscientiously 
advise  any  mother  to  send  her  girls  to  her  if  she  wishes 
them  to  at  once  become  perfect  horsewomen  while 
remaining  perfect  ladies." 


SIDE-SADDLES    FOR   CHILDREN. 


63 


We  had  so  many  charming  pupils  during  our  short 
stay  in  London,  that  I  shall  always  regard  this  teaching 
period  as  one  of  the  pleasantest  events  of  my  life.  I 
often  think  about  them  all,  and  wonder  how  they  are 
getting  on  with  their  riding,  and,  as  their  various 
difficulties  have  been  present  in  my  mind  while  writing 
this  book,  I  have  done  my  best  to  solve  them  all  as 
clearly  as  possible.      We  put  up  small   hurdles  and  got 


Fig.  30. — Child  jvinipiiig  wilhout  reins. 


our  tiny  pupils  to  ride  over  them,  because  I  saw  that 
they  had  grasped  my  explanation  and  demonstrations 
ol  balance  and  grip,  and  it  made  them  mightily  proud 
of  themselves,  and  keen  on  learning  all  they  could 
about  riding,  when  they  found  that  they  could  sit 
over  fences  with  ease.  Although  the  school  hurdles 
were  small,  our  grey  horse  which  they  rode  was  a  big 
jumper,  which  could  negotiate  a  five-foot  posts  and 
rails   with   ease,   so   the   children    who  rode   him    were 


64  SIDE-SADDLES. 

unconsciously  carried  a  far  greater  height  than  they 
imagined,  for  we  all  know  that  a  big  jumper  makes  a 
fine  leap,  even  over  small  fences.  In  teaching  children 
to  ride  we  should  always  provide  them  with  saddles 
in  which  they  can  obtain  the  grip  that  we  ourselves 
require,  and  should  see  that  the  length  of  the  stirrup- 
leather  is  correct.  We  should  remember  that  the 
young  horsewoman,  however  tiny  she  may  be,  requires 
to  be  provided  with  the  best  and  safest  appliances  in 
the  matter  of  stirrup,  safety  bar,  and  safety  skirt,  that 
we  can  give  her ;  and  I  may  say  that  if  I  had  a 
daughter  I  would  never  allow  her  to  ride  unless  her 
saddle  was  provided  with  Champion  and  Wilton's 
safety  bar,  which  I  use,  and  unless  she  wore  my 
skirt  or  the  safe  little  coat  shown  in  Fig.  ^J.  If 
reliance  has  to  be  placed  on  a  safety  stirrup  in  the 
absence  of  Champion  and  Wilton's  safety  bar,  only 
the  capped  stirrup-iron  (Fig.  i8)  or  the  slipper  stirrup 
(Fig.  19)  should  be  employed.  I  have  no  faith  in 
one-sided  safety  stirrups  for  young  girls,  for  we  cannot 
put  old  heads  on  young  shoulders  in  the  matter  of  careful 
attention  about  placing  the  foot  in  the  safety  stirrup 
from  the  proper  side.  A  groom  may  put  the  stirrup 
correctly  on  the  foot  of  his  young  mistress  before 
starting  out  with  her  for  a  quiet  ride,  but  these  men 
naturally  know  nothing  about  the  correct  length  of  the 
stirrup  leather,  and  during  the  ride  the  stirrup  may 
come  out  of  the  foot  and  be  caught  haphazard  by  the 
rider,  with  the  result  that,  should  she  become  unseated 
and   thrown  from    her   saddle  by  her  horse   suddenly 


SIDE-SADDLES    FOR    CHILDREN.  65 

shying  with  her,  she  may  be  dragged  and  killed.  I 
therefore  cannot  too  strongly  recommend  all  mothers 
to  see  that  their  daughters'  saddles  are  provided  with 
reliable  safety  bars,  and  of  course  that  the  children 
are  provided  with  safety  skirts,  for  a  safety  bar  is 
useless  if  the  rider's  skirt  catches  on  the  upper  crutch 
and  holds  her  suspended.  In  July  1897  a  young 
daughter  of  a  well-known  nobleman  was  dragged  by 
her  stirrup  and  killed  while  exercising  her  pony  in  a 
paddock.  As  the  stirrup  was  of  a  one-sided  pattern,  it 
must  have  been  negligently  placed  the  wrong  way  (Fig. 
31)  on  the  foot  of  the  poor  girl,  who  was  only  fifteen 
years  old.  I  heard  that  rider,  saddle,  and  pony  were 
all  buried  on  the  same  day.  I  would  not  be  inclined 
to  blame  the  groom  if  he  were  inexperienced,  as  many 
are,  in  the  one-sidedness  of  so-called  safety  stirrups. 
Another  equally  terrible  accident  occurred  in  Sep- 
tember 1893,  when  a  young  lady  was  dragged  by  her 
stirrup  and  killed  while  hacking  along  a  road  at 
Kilhendre,  near  Ellesmere,  with  her  groom  in  attend- 
ance. As  far  as  I  could  gather  from  the  newspaper 
report  of  this  sad  accident,  a  butcher's  cart  driven 
rapidly  round  a  corner  caused  the  lady's  pony  to  shy 
suddenly  and  unseat  her,  with  the  result  that  she  was 
dragged  by  her  stirrup  and  killed.  At  the  inquest 
which  was  held  on  the  body  of  this  poor  girl,  the  jury- 
men devoted  their  entire  attention  to  the  character  of 
the  animal  she  was  riding,  and  as  the  father  of  the 
young  lady,  who  had  bred  the  pony  himself,  was  able 
to  show  that  it  was  a  staunch  and   reliable  animal,  the 

5 


66  SIDE-SADDLES. 

usual  verdict  of  accidental  death  -was  given.  These 
twelve  good  men  and  true  absolutely  Ignored  the 
stirrup,  which  had  been  the  sole  cause  of  this  awful 
occurrence,  and  concentrated  their  entire  attention  on 
the  innocent  pony  she  rode. 

SADDLING    A    HORSE. 

As  a  horse's  loins  are  111  fitted  to  bear  weight,  the 
saddle  should  be  placed  as  far  forward  as  It  can  go, 
without  Interfering  with  the  action  of  his  shoulder- 
blades,  the  position  of  the  rearmost  portion  of  which 
Is  Indicated  by  the  "saddle  muscle,"  which  Is  a  lump 
of  muscle  below  the  withers.  The  saddle  can  be 
placed  about  three  Inches  behind  It.  Instead  of 
putting  the  saddle  on  the  exact  part  of  the  back 
It  Is  to  occupy.  It  Is  best  to  place  it  a  few  Inches  too 
far  forward,  and  then  to  draw  It  back,  so  as  to  smooth 
down  the  hair  under  It,  and  thus  make  It  comfortable 
for  the  animal.  The  front  girth  Is  first  taken  up,  and 
then  the  next  one,  which  is  passed  through  the  loop 
of  the  martingale  or  breast-plate,  supposing  that  two 
girths  of  equal  width  are  used.  To  prevent  any 
wrinkles  being  made  In  the  skin  under  the  girths,  and 
to  make  the  pressure  even,  the  groom  should  shorten 
the  girths  to  about  half  the  required  extent  on  one 
side,  should  finish  the  tightening  on  the  other  side, 
and  should  run  his  fingers  between  the  girths  and 
skin  in  order  to  smooth  out  any  wrinkles,  the  presence 
of  which  would  be  liable  to  cause  a  girth-gall.  As 
girthing  up,  when  the  lady  is  mounted,  will  have  to  be 


SADDLING  A   HORSE. 


67 


done  on  the  off  side,  sufficient  space  for  that  purpose 
will  have  to  be  left  on  the  girth-straps  of  that  side. 
After  the  rider  has  been  put  up,  the  girths  should  be 
again  tightened,  and  it  is  generally  advisable  to  repeat 


Fig.  31. — Foot  caught,' on  account  of  its  having  been  put  into  the  stirrup 

from  the  wrong  side. 

this  operation  after  she  has  ridden  her  horse  for  a 
short  time,  especially  if  the  animal  has  the  trick  of 
''blowing  himself  out."  With  a  F'itzwilliam  girth, 
the  narrow  girth  which  goes  over  the  broad  one  is 
passed  through  the  loop  of  the  martingale  or  breast- 
strap,  supposing  that  one  or  both  of  these  appliances 


-•!'• 

D" 


68  SIDE-SADDLES. 

are  used.  The  balance  strap  should  be  tightened  to 
a  fair  extent,  though  not  quite  so  much  as  the  girths, 
because  the  portion  of  the  ribs  over  which  it  passes, 
expands  and  contracts  far  more  than  that  encompassed 
by  the  girths. 

If  a  saddle-cloth  be  used,  the  groom,  before  girthing 
up,  should  bring  the  front  part  of  the  cloth  well  up 
into  the  pommel  with  his  forefinger  or  thumb,  so  as 
to  prevent  it  from  becoming  pressed  down  on  the 
withers  by  the  saddle. 

PREVENTIOxN    OF    SORE    BACKS. 

The  chief  causes  of  sore  backs  brought  on  by  side- 
saddles are  :  — 

1.  Badly  fitting  saddles.  The  fitting  of  saddles  has 
already  been  discussed  in  this  chapter. 

2.  Neglect  in  girthing  up  sufficiently  tight.  As 
the  tightness  of  the  girths  diminishes  according  to 
the  duration  and  severity  of  the  work,  the  girths 
should  be  taken  up  after  the  lady  has  ridden  for  some 
time.  For  ordinary  hacking,  tightening  the  girths  after, 
say,  five  minutes'  riding  will  generally  be  sufficient  ; 
but  this  operation  should  be  repeated,  for  instance 
at  the  meet,  when  out  hunting.  Knowledge  of  the 
necessity  of  having  the  girths  tight  enough,  to 
prevent  the  saddle  wobbling,  will  enable  the  rider  to 
take  the  necessary  precautions  against  putting  her 
animal  on  the  sick  list  from  this  cause. 

3.   Undue  weight  on  the  near  side,  which  is  generally 


CLEANING   A    SADDLE.  69 

caused  by  too  long  a  stirrup,  by  the  leaping  head  being 
placed  too  low  down,  and  by  rising  at  the  trot  for 
too  long  a  time. 

4.  Mismanagement  of  the  horse  after  his  return  to 
the  stable,  which  is  a  subject  I  will  allude  to  further 
on. 

CLEANING    A    SADDLE. 

The  leather  work  of  a  saddle  should  be  kept  clean 
and  soft,  with  the  stitches  clearly  defined,  and  not 
clogged  up  by  grease  or  dirt.  No  stain  should  be 
left  on  a  white  pocket-handkerchief  or  kid  glove,  if  it 
be  passed  over  any  portion  of  the  leather.  Beeswax 
may  be  used  to  give  the  saddle  a  polish  ;  but  it  should 
be  sparingly  applied  and  should  be  well  rubbed  in, 
for  it  is  apt  to  make  the  leather  very  sticky.  Nothing 
but  specially  prepared  or  good  white  soap  (made  into 
a  thick  lather)  should  be  employed  to  clean  the  leather 
work,  except  a  little  lime-juice  or  lemon-juice  to 
remove  stains.  The  use  of  soft  soap  permanently 
darkens  leather.  A  small  amount  of  saddle  dressing 
may  be  put  on  once  a  month,  in  order  to  keep  the 
leather  soft  and  pliable.  The  steel  work  should,  of 
course,   be  kept  bright. 


/O 


CHAPTER    IV. 
BRIDLES. 

Description    of   a  Bridle  — Varieties  of    Bits  —  Snaffles  —  Curbs  —  Pelhanis  — 
Nose-bands — Reins — Martingales — Adjustment  of  the  Bridle. 

As  there  Is  no  difference  between  the  bridles  used  by 
men  and  those  employed  by  ladles,  I  have  compiled 
this  chapter  from  my  husband's  Riding  aitd  Htinting, 
to  which  I  beg  to  refer  my  readers  for  any  further 
Information  they  may  require. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    A    BRIDLE. 

A  bridle  consists  of  a  bit,  head-stall  and  reins.  The 
bit  Is  the  piece  of  metal  which  goes  Into  the  animal's 
mouth  ;  the  head-stall  or  ''head''  Is  the  leather  straps 
which  connect  the  bit  to  the  horse's  head ;  and  the 
reins  enable  the  rider  to  use  the  bit. 

Some  persons  incorrectly  restrict  the  term  ''bit"  In 
all  cases  to  a  curb.  This  particular  application  of  the 
word  Is  from  custom  allowable  In  the  expression  *'  bit 
and  bridoon,"  In  which  the  bit  signifies  a  curb,  and  the 
bridoon  a  snaffle. 


DESCRIPTION    OF   A    BRIDLE. 


71 


d 


N 

0 


/ 

s 


V 


y 


«-    1^^ 


Fig.  32.— "Head"  of  a  Single  Bridle:  a.   Crown-piece;  /',/',  Cheek-pieces 
c,  Throat-latch  ;  d,  Front  or  Brow-band. 


72 


BRIDLES. 


I^'g-  33- — Unjointed  Snaffle. 


Fig.  34. — Chain  Snaffle. 


Fig.  35. — Ordinary  Snaffle  with  Cheeks. 


DESCRIPTION    OF   A    BRIDLE. 


73 


Fig.  36. — Nutcracker  action  of  Jointed 
Snafifle  on  Horse's  Mouth. 


Fig.  37. — Action  of  Unjointed  Snaffle 
on  Horse's  Mouth. 


\ 


Fig.  38. — Action  of  thelCuib  as  a  Lever. 


74 


BRIDLES. 


The  names  oj  the  different  leather  parts  of  a  bridle 
(Fig.  32)  are  as  follows  : — 

The  crown  piece  (a)  passes  over  the  horse's  poll. 

The  cheek  pieces  (b  b)  connect  the  crown-piece  with 
the  bit. 

The  throat-latch  {c),  which  is  usually  pronounced 
''throat-lash,"   passes    under    the   animaVs  throat,    and 


Fig.  39. —Properly  constructed  Curb  for  ordinary  Hunter. 


Side  View. 


serves  to  prevent  the  bridle  from  slipping  over  his 
head. 

The  front,  fore  head- band  or  brow-band  (d)  goes 
across  the  horse's  forehead,  and  has  a  loop  at  each 
end,  for  the  crown-piece  to  pass  through.  "  Front  " 
is  the  trade  name  for  this  strap. 

The  head-stall  or  head,  which  is  the  trade  term,  is 
the  name  given  to  all  this  leather  work. 


VARIETIES    OF    BITS. 


Bits     may     be    divided     into     snaffles,     curbs    and 
Pelhams. 


SNAFFLES. 


75 


SNAFFLES. 

A  snaffle  is  a  bit  which  acts  on  a  horse's  mouth  by 
direct  pressure,  and  not  by  leverage. 


T^ig.  40. — Ward  Union  Curb  Bridle  with  Half-moon  Snaffle. 

A  bi'idoon  is  the   term   applied   to  the   snaffle  of  a 
double  bridle,  which  is  a  bridle  that  has  a  curb  and  a 


76 


BRIDLES. 


snaffle.     A   double  bridle  is   often  called    a  "bit  and 
bridoon." 

The  best  kinds  of  snaffles  are  the  half-moon  snaffle, 


Fig.  41. — Curb  Chain  covered  with  India-rubber  Tube. 

which  has  an  unjointed  and  slightly  curved  mouth- 
piece (Fig.  ^2))  5  and  the  chain  snaffle  (Fig.  34). 
The  objection  to  the  jointed  snaffle   (Fig.   35),    which 


Fig.  42. — Chin-strap  unbuckled. 


Fig.  43. — Chin-strap  buckled. 


is  the  kind  generally  used,  is  that  it  has  a  nut-cracker 
action  on  the  animal's  mouth,  instead  of  exerting  a 
direct  pressure,  as  shown  respectively  in  Figs.  36  and  2)7- 


SNAFFLES. 


77 


A  chain  snaffle  should  always  have  a  Hancock's   *'  curl 
bit  mouth  cover,"  which  is  a  roll  of  india-rubber  that 


Fig.  44. — Curb  reversed  by  horse  throwing  up  his  head,  in  the  absence  of  a 

chin  strap. 

curls  round  the  mouth-piece,  and  prevents  it  hurting 
the  mouth.  In  the  absence  of  this  india-rubber  arrange- 
ment, we  may  cover  the  mouth-piece  with  two  or  three 


;8  BRIDLES. 

turns  of  wash-leather,  which  can  be  kept  in   its  place 
by  sewing. 

In  all  cases  a  snaffle  should  be  thick  and  smooth,  so 
that  it  may  not  hurt  the  horse's  mouth. 

CURBS. 

A  curb  is  a  bit  which  acts  as  a  lever,  by  means  of 
the  curb-chain  that  passes  under  the  animal's  lower 
jaw  (Fig.  ^S).  Fig.  39  shows  a  properly  constructed 
curb  for  a  horse  with  an  ordinary  sized  mouth.  The 
best  curb  which  is  in  general  use  is  the  Ward  Union 
(Fig.  40).  The  curb-chain  should  have  broad  and 
thick  links,  so  that  it  may  not  hurt  the  lower  jaw. 
This  precaution  can  be  supplemented  by  a  leather 
guard  or  by  passing  the  curb-chain  through  a  rubber 
tube  (Fig.  41).  A  chin-strap  (Figs.  42  and  43)  is 
necessary  to  keep  the  curb  in  its  place  (Fig.  44). 

PELHAMS. 

A  Pelham  is  a  bit  which  can  act  either  as  a  curb 
or  a  snaffle,  according  to  the  reins  which  are  taken 
up.  Unless  a  lady  thoroughly  understands  the 
handling  of  the  reins,  she  should  not  use  a  Pelham, 
because  her  tendency  when  riding  will  be  to  feel  both 
reins,  in  which  case  the  snaffle  reins  will  pull  the 
mouth-piece  high  up  in  the  mouth,  which,  as  we  shall 
see  further  on,  is  the  wrong  position  for  the  action  of 
the  curb.  Hence,  only  one  pair  of  reins  (either  those 
of  the  snaffle  or  those  of  the  curb)  should  be  brought 
into  play  when  using  a  Pelham. 


NOSE-BANDS. 


79 


NOSE-BANDS. 

The  use  of  a  nose-band  is  to  keep  the  horse's  mouth 
shut,  In  the  event  of  his  holding  his  jaws  wide  apart,  so 
as  to  resist  the  action  of  the  bit.      To  be  effective,  it 


Fig.  45. — Cavasson  Xose-band. 

should  be  fixed   low  down.      The  cavasson   nose-band 
(Fig.   45)  is  neat  and  serviceable. 


REINS. 


Reins    should    be    fairly   broad    (say,    J/g   Inch)    and 


8o 


BRIDLES. 


moderately   thin,    so  that    they   may   be    handled  with 
efficiency  and  ease.      With  a  double   bridle,   the   curb 


Fig   46. — Standing  Martingale  attached  to  rings  of  the  Snaffle. 

reins   are  sometimes   made  a  little  narrower  than  the 
snaffle  reins,  which  is  an  arrangement   I  like,  because 


REINS. 


cSl 


r^ 


Fig.  47. — Lord  Lonsdale's  registered  Running  Martingale. 


82  BRIDLES. 

it  greatly  helps  the  rider  to  distinguish  one  pair  of  reins 
from  the  other.  With  the  same  object,  I  like  the 
snaffle  reins  to  be  connected  by  a  buckle,  and  the 
curb  reins  by  sewing. 


MARTINGALES. 

The  only  kinds  of  martingales  which  we  need  con- 
sider are  the  standing  martingale  which  is  buckled  on 
to  the  rings  of  the  snaffle  (Fig.  46)  and  the  running 
martingale  (Fig.  47).  Following  in  the  footsteps  of 
that  high  priest  of  Irish  horsem.anship,  Mr.  John 
Hubert  Moore,  I  pin  my  faith  to  the  standing  martin- 
gale, as  it  has  enabled  me  on  many  occasions  to  ride,  in 
peace  and  quietness,  horses  which  without  it  would 
have  been  most  dangerous  ''handfuls."  Its  great 
virtue,  when  properly  put  on,  is  to  prevent  the  animal 
getting  his  head  too  high.  If  he  be  allowed  to  do  this 
and  is  unruly,  whether  from  vice  or  impetuosity,  our 
power  over  him  will  more  or  less  vanish,  and  besides 
he  will  not  be  able  to  accurately  see  where  he  is  going, 
in  which  case  we  will  be  lucky  if  we  escape  without  an 
accident.  The  famous  steeplechase  horse,  Scots  Grey, 
would  never  win  a  race  without  one  of  these  martin- 
gales to  keep  his  head  in  proper  position.  When 
lengthened  out  to  its  maximum  effective  length 
(Fig.  48),  it  cannot  possibly  impede  the  horse  in 
any  of  his  paces  or  in  jumping.  It  is,  of  course,  well 
to  accustom  a  horse  to  its  use  before  riding  him  in  it 
over  a  country.      It  at  least  doubles  one's  power  over  a 


MARTINGALES. 


83 


puller,  and  Is  inv^aluable  for  controlling  and  guiding  a 
"  green  "  animal. 

It  is  a  common  Idea  that  the  chief  use  of  a  runnino- 
martingale  is  to  prevent  a  horse  raising  his  head  too 
high.  We  find,  however,  that  when  our  best  flat  race 
and  steeplechase  jockeys  and  other  good  horsemen  ride 


Fig.  48. — Maximum  length  of  Standing  Martingale. 


with  this  martingale,  they  almost  invariably  have  it  so 
long,  that  it  has  little  or  no  effect  in  keeping  the  head 
down.  When  a  horse  is  prevented  from  raising  his 
head  too  high  by  a  standing  martingale  attached  to  the 
rings  of  the  snaffle,  he  is  punished  by  the  tension  of 
the  martingale  being  transmitted  to  the  mouth-piece  of 
the  snaffle,  if  he   tries   to  get  his  head  in  the  air  ;  but 

6=^ 


84  BRIDLES. 

the  moment  he   brings   his  head  down  and  bends  his 

neck,  cessation  of  the  painful  pressure  will  reward  him 

for  his  obedience.     This  automatic  means  of  dispensing 

punishment  and  reward   is  so  accurate   In  Its  working, 

that  a  horse  soon  learns  the  lesson  set  before  him.    But 

with  a  running  martingale,  the  rider,  in  order  to  reward 

the  horse   for   bringing  his  head  into  proper  position, 

would  have  to  slacken  out  the  reins  with  a  promptness 

that  would   be   seldom  attainable,   and   with  an  entire 

disregard  of  control  over  the  animal.      In  fact,  with  a 

running  martingale,  adjusted  so  as  to  prevent  the  horse 

from  getting  his  head  too  high,  the  reins  would  have  to 

perform  the  dual  office   of  keeping  down  the  head,  and 

of  regulating  the  speed,  which  duties  could  seldom  be 

successfully   combined.     With   a  standing    martingale, 

however,  the  rider  can  safely  relinquish  the  adjustment 

of  the  height  of  the  animal's  head  to  the  martingale, 

and  consequently  he  is  not  forced   to   check  the  horse's 

speed,  when  he  wants  to  get  his  head   down.      Some 

good  horsemen,  on  finding  that  the  running   martingale 

did    not    perform    Its    supposed  office  efficiently,  have 

discarded  it  altogether,  and  thenceforth  have  trusted  to 

their   hands  to   act  as  their   martingale.      In  this  they 

were  right  not  to  use  a   running  martingale  to  keep  a 

horse's  head   down  ;  but  they  were  wrong  In  thinking 

that  keeping  the  head  down  was  the  only,  or  even  the 

principal,    use  of   this   article    of  gear.      If  we  closely 

examine  Its  action,  we  shall  find  that  the  great  value  of 

this  martingale  is  to  aid  the  rider  In  turning  a  horse  by 

keeping  his  neck  straight,  when  cantering  or  galloping, 


MARTINGALES.  85 

which  object  is  greatly  facilitated   by  the  opposite  rein 
exerting  a  strong  pressure  on  the  neck. 

In  regulating  the  length  of  the  running  martingale, 
we  should  carefully  guard  against  making  it  so  short 
that  it  would  interfere  with  the  horse's  mouth,  when  he 
is  not  carrying  his  head  unnaturally  high  ;  for  such  in- 
terference could  have  no  good  result,  and  would  pro- 
bably impede  the  animal's  movements.  Although  it  is 
impossible    to    determine   with  mathematical   accuracy 


.^j^ 


<^. 


Fig.   49. — Side  view  of  Horse's  lower  jaw. 

the  exact  length  of  this  martingale,  we  find  in  practice 
that  it  should  not  be  shorter  than  a  length  which  will 
allow  it,  when  drawn  up,  to  reach  as  high  as  the  top  of 
the  withers.  Lengthening  it  out  another  three  or  four 
inches  will  generally  be  an  improvement.  The  use  of 
a  running  martingale  shorter  than  the  minimum  I  have 
just  laid  down,  more  or  less  irritates  the  horse  ;  be- 
cause, even  when  he  holds  his  head  in  correct  position, 
he  cannot  escape  from  its  disagreeable  pressure.  The 
employment   of  a  short   running  martingale   for  'cross 


S6 


BRIDLES. 


country  work  is  a  very  dangerous  proceeding  ;  for  if 
the  rider  does  not  leave  the  reins  loose  when  jumping, 
the  horse  will  be  almost  certain  to  hurt  his  mouth,  and 
consequently  he  will  be  afraid  to  face  his  bit,  or  will 
become  unmanageable  from  pain,  either  eventuality 
being  highly  dangerous  to  horse  and  rider. 

ADJUSTMENT    OF    THE    BRIDLE. 

The  bit  is  placed  in  the  horse's  mouth,  because  there 


Fig.  50. — Angle  made  by  the  Cheeks  of  a  Curb,    when  the  Reins 

are  taken  up. 

is  a  vacant  space  (of  about  four  inches  in  length)  on 
the  gums  of  his  lower  jaw,  between  his  back  teeth  and 
tushes  (canine  teeth  or  eye  teeth),  as  we  may  see  in 
Fig.  49.  A  mare  has  no  tushes,  or  possesses  them 
in  only  a  rudimentary  form.  The  tushes  of  a  horse 
begin  to  appear  through  his  gums  when  he  is  about 
4  years  old.      If  horses  had  not  this  convenient  gap 


ADJUSTMENT    OF   THE    BRIDLE.  87 

(Interdental  space)  In  their  rows  of  teeth,  we  would 
probably  have  to  guide  and  control  them  by  means 
of  reins  attached  to  a  nose-band,  which  Is  a  method 
practised  by  many  American  cow-boys  when  breaking 
in  young  horses.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  their  nose- 
band (hackamore)  does  not  hurt  the  animal's  mouth, 
and  that  it  gives  all  the  necessary  indications,  ex- 
cellent results,   I   believe,  are  obtained  with  It. 

As  the  pressure  of  the  bit  should  be  an  Indication 


Fig.  51. — View  of  under-surface  of  Lower  Jaw. 

of  the  wishes  of  the  rider  and  not  a  means  of  in- 
flicting pain,  the  bit  should  rest  on  the  least  sensi- 
tive portion  of  the  Interdental  space,  namely,  on  the 
part  just  above  the  tushes  ;  because  there  the  jaw-bone 
is  broader  than  higher  up,  and  is  consequently  better 
able  to  bear  pressure.  Hence,  with  a  double  bridle, 
the  mouth-piece  of  the  curb  should  be  just  clear  of 
the  tushes  of  the  horse  or  gelding  (Fig.  49),  and  about 
one  Inch  above  the  corner  front  teeth  of  the  mare  ; 
in  fact,  as  low  as  possible  without  making  the  curb- 
chain  liable  to  slip  over  the  animal's  chin.     The  fact 


88  BRIDLES. 

of  the  mouth-piece  of  the  curb  being  in  this  position 
has  the  further  advantage,  that  it  prevents  the  curb- 
chain  from  working  up  on  the  sharp  edges  of  the 
lower  surface  of  the  jaw.  The  curb-chain  in  Fig.  50 
rests  in  what  is  called  the  "  chin-groove,"  which  is  the 
depression  that  covers  the  bone  immediately  below 
the  point  at  which  the  lower  jaw  divides  into  two 
branches  (Fig.  51).  The  edges  of  these  branches  are 
sharp,  but  that  portion  of  the  bone  which  is  between 
their  point  of  separation  and  the  front  teeth,  is  smooth 
and  rounded. 

The  snaffle,  whether  by  itself  or  in  conjunction  with 
a  curb,  should  be  placed  sufficiently  low,  so  as  not  to 
wrinkle  the  corners  of  the  mouth. 

The  tightness  of  the  curb-chain  should  in  no  case 
exceed  that  which  will  allow  the  cheeks  of  the  curb  the 
amount  of  ''play"  shown  in  Fig.  50.  With  a  light 
mouthed  horse,  the  curb-chain  might  be  let  out  another 
hole  or  two. 

The  throat-latch  should  be  loose,  so  that  it  may  not 
exert  any  pressure  on  the  animal's  wind-pipe. 


89 


CHAPTER    V. 
RIDING    DRESS. 

Habits    and   Safety  Skirts — Breeches — Underclothing — Hats — Boots— Gloves — 
Riding  Under-Bodice,  Hunting  Ties,  Collars,  Cuffs,  and  Ties. 

HABITS    AND    SAFETY    SKIRTS. 

The  choice  of  the  material  for  a  riding  habit  is 
naturally  limited  to  the  price  which  the  purchaser 
intends  to  pay  for  the  garment.  I  would,  however, 
strongly  counsel  the  selection  of  the  best  possible 
cloth,  as  only  from  it  can  a  really  successful  habit  be 
constructed.  Tailors  who  make  a  habit  for  five 
guineas,  doubtless  give  the  best  value  they  can  for 
that  sum  ;  but  when  we  consider  that  a  good  Melton 
cloth  costs  about  a  guinea  a  yard,  we  can  understand 
that  it  is  impossible  to  get  material  of  that  class  in  a 
cheap  garment.  All  good  habit  makers  will  admit — 
though  in  most  cases  very  reluctantly — that  Melton  is 
by  far  the  best  material  for  riding  habits  which  are  in- 
tended for  hard  wear,  as  in  hunting;  but  it' possesses, 
in  their  eyes,  the  very  grave  fault  of  longevity,  for  a 
good  Melton  habit  lasts  for  several  years.  Rough-faced 
cloths,  such  as  cheviot,  frieze,  and  serge,  retain  moisture 


go  RIDING    DRESS. 

like  a  blanket,  and  shrink  after  exposure  to  much  rain  ; 
but  Melton,  which  is  of  a  hard  and  unyielding  texture, 
and  has  a  smooth  surface,  is  almost  impervious  to  wet. 
The  virtues  of  this  material  are  much  appreciated  by 
experienced  hunting  women  for  hard  wear.  There  is 
"a  something  "  about  the  "hang"  of  a  perfectly-fitting 
Melton  habit  which  no  other  material  seems  to  possess  ; 
and  whatever  the  elements  may  be  doing,  it  never 
appears  out  of  place.  On  the  other  hand,  if  it  is 
badly  cut,  it  exposes  the  shortcomings  of  its  maker  in 
the  most  ungenerous  manner,  and  is  so  obstinate  that 
all  the  altering  in  the  world  will  not  make  it  forgive 
the  insult  to  its  cloth.  A  Melton  habit,  therefore, 
requires  to  be  cut  by  one  who  is  an  artist  at  his 
trade.  Another  advantage  possessed  by  this  cloth 
is  that  it  is  far  easier  to  clean  than  any  rough-faced 
material.  An  experienced  saddler  has  drawn  my  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  the  dye  from  skirts  made  of 
cheap  shoddy  material,  is  apt  to  come  off  and  seriously 
injure  the  leather  of  the  saddle. 

The  colour  of  a  habit  is  a  matter  of  taste  on  which  I 
can  offer  no  advice,  except  that  a  lady  who  requires  to 
wear  her  habit  until  it  exhibits  signs  of  old  age,  would 
do  well  to  select  an  inconspicuous  tint.  I  have  always 
found  dark  blue  the  most  serviceable  shade,  because 
It  does  not  fade,  even  In  tropical  climates,  nor  does  It, 
like  black,  turn  green  and  rusty-looking  before  it  Is 
worn  out.  Besides,  it  admits  of  a  new  skirt  or  new 
coat,  as  the  case  may  be,  without  emphasising  the 
disparity   in  age  of  its  companion  so  much  as  Is  the 


HABITS   AND    SAFETY    SKIRTS. 


91 


case  with  lighter  shades,  such  as  grey  for  instance. 
Some  years  ago,  various  shades  of  green,  brown,  and 
claret  colour  were  w^orn,  but  they  seem  to  have  been 


Fig.  52. — The  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt  open  for  mounting. 


superseded  by  dark  grey  and  dark  blue,  at  least  in  the 
Shires,  though  since  the  death  of  our  lamented  Queen 
Victoria,  black  has  been  greatly  used. 

In   selecting   a    Melton  habit,  a  heavy  make  called 


92  RIDING    DRESS. 

treble  Melton  should  be  chosen  for  the  skirt,  and  a 
lighter  one  of  the  same  material,  which  all  good  habit 
makers  keep  in  stock,  for  the  coat  ;  because,  in  order 
to  hang  well,  a  skirt  must  be  of  heavy  cloth,  which 
would,  of  course,  be  too  hard  and  unyielding  for  a 
riding  coat.  We  require  a  ''  kind,"  pliable  cloth  for  our 
coats,  to  allow  us  absolute  ease  and  freedom  of  move- 
ment, but  our  skirts,  even  for  wear  in  the  tropics,  should 
be  of  a  thick,  heavy  make.  When  I  went  out  to  India 
in  1885,  safety  skirts  were  unknown,  or,  at  least  they 
were  not  constructed  by  Creed,  of  Conduit  Street,  who 
made  my  habits,  and  who  was  in  those  clays  regarded 
as  the  best  habit  maker  in  London.  He  told  me  that 
my  thick  Melton  skirt  would  be  of  no  use  to  me  in  that 
hot  country,  and  recommended  a  habit  of  khaki-coloured 
drill,  for  which  I  paid  sixteen  guineas,  as  he  would  not 
make  any  kind  of  riding  habit  for  less  than  that  sum. 
I  soon  found  that  my  investment  was  a  failure,  for  the 
skirt  flapped  about  like  a  sheet  in  the  wind,  and  the 
marks  of  perspiration  on  my  coat  looked  most  unsightly, 
so  I  handed  over  my  drill  habit  to  my  ayah,  a  gift 
which  I  know  she  did  not  appreciate  at  anything 
approaching  its  cost.  I  found  myself  more  comfort- 
ably garbed  in  my  Melton  skirt,  for  heat  in  riding  is 
not  felt  to  any  appreciable  extent  below  the  waist,  and 
I  provided  myself  with  jackets  of  white  drill,  on  which 
marks  of  perspiration  are  not  so  unsightly  as  on  a 
coloured  material. 

As  safety  in  the  saddle  is  the  first  consideration,  and 
as  no  article  of  riding  dress  has  proved  such  a  death- 


THE    HAYES'   SAFETY    SKIRT. 


93 


trap  as  the  skirt,  no  lady  should  ride  in  one  of  the  old- 
fashioned,  dangerous  pattern.  I  am  thankful  to  say  I 
was  never  dragged  in  any  of  those  ancient  garments, 
but  I  was  fully  aware  of  this  danger,   and  devised,  as 


Fig-  53- — Off  side  of  The  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt. 

I  explained  in  the  first  edition  of  this  book,  a  means 
of  lessening  it  by  buttoning  "  the  under  and  outer 
part  *'  of  the  skirt  just  above  the  knee  to  the  breeches, 
by  means  of  large  flat  cloth  buttons,  the  same  colour 
as  the  skirt,  being  sewn  on  the  breeches,  and  corre- 
sponding button-holes  being  made  in  the  skirt.      The 


94  RIDING    DRESS. 

idea  was  a  practical  one,  but  I  was  by  no  means 
satisfied  with  it,  and  I  began  to  evolve  a  safety  skirt 
of  my  own.  While  I  was  experimenting  with  a  pair 
of  scissors  on  an  old  skirt  in  w^hich  a  groom  was  seated 
on  a  side-saddle,  a  habit  maker  sent  me  and  asked  me 
to  wear  and  recommend  what  he  called  a  "  perfectly- 
fitting  skirt."  This  awful  thing  had  glove-like  fingers, 
which  were  made  to  fit  the  upper  crutch  and  the  leaping 
head !  I  hope  no  lady  ever  risked  her  neck  in  such  a 
death-trap  as  that.  In  puzzling  out  my  safety  skirt,  I 
desired  to  attain  two  objects,  namely,  absolute  safety 
in  the  saddle,  and  a  decent  covering  for  my  limbs  when 
out  of  it,  so  that  I  might  be  able  to  dismount  and  walk 
exposed  to  the  gaze  of  men  at  any  time  or  place,  with- 
out my  dress,  or  rather  want  of  it,  being  made  the 
subject  of  remark.  I  had  a  nice  quiet  horse,  who 
allowed  me  to  thoroughly  test  my  invention  by  falling 
off  his  back  in  every  conceivable  direction,  my  husband 
being  present  to  prevent  my  voluntary  fall  from  de- 
generating into  a  "cropper."  Mr.  Tautz,  the  well- 
known  breeches  maker  of  Oxford  Street,  witnessed 
these  acrobatic  feats,  and  after  we  had  all  been  perfectly 
convinced  of  the  absolute  safety  of  the  garment,  he  took 
it  on  a  royalty.  My  skirt  has  now  been  on  the  market 
for  several  years,  and  I  am  glad  to  have  this  oppor- 
tunity of  thanking  the  numerous  ladies  who  have 
shewn  their  appreciation  of  it.  Fig.  52  gives  the 
appearance  of  the  "  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt,"  when  its 
wearer  is  ready  to  mount.  Fig.  53  shows  the  off  side 
when    in    the    saddle,    in    Fig.    54    we    see    the    side 


THE    HAYES'    SAFETY    SKIRT. 


95 


opening,  from  which  the  cloth  near  the  crutches  is  cut 
entirely  away,  closed  for  walking,  and  Fig.  6  shows  the 
hang  of  the  skirt  when  the  wearer  is  mounted.     Since 


Fig.  54. — The  Hayes'  Safety  Skirt  closed  for  walking. 


this  skirt  was  invented,  I  have  had  several  opportu- 
nities of  further  testing  its  merits,  especially  when 
riding  young  horses  w^hich  have  fallen  with  me  in 
Leicestershire,    and   I  would   not  care   to  ride   in    any 


96  RIDING    DRESS. 

other  kind.  There  are  several  safety  skirts,  but  It  Is 
obvious  that  the  best  kind  Is  one  that  Is  safe  to  ride 
in,  presentable  when  dismounted,  and  easily  arranged, 
which  conditions  are  thoroughly  fulfilled  by  my  patent. 
There  are  riding  women  who  object  so  much  to  the 
Indecency  of  apron  skirts  (Figs.  55  and  56)  that 
they  adopt  the  dangerous  closed  pattern.  My  skirt 
would  commend  Itself  to  those  of  my  sex  who  are 
sufficiently  old-fashioned  In  their  Ideas  to  desire  a  safe 
and,  at  the  same  time,  decent  and  graceful  covering. 
Some  ladles  consider  It  "  smart  "  to  expose  their 
limbs,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  free  exhibitions  to 
be  seen  in  the  hunting  field,  while  others,  who  are 
aware  of  the  unbecoming  effect,  have  their  breeches 
made  extra  baggy  behind  ! 

The  apron  skirt  is  an  extremely  cold,  comfortless 
garment  for  winter  wear,  because  It  is  merely  a  left-side 
covering  for  the  limbs,  while  the  right  side  being 
entirely  unclothed,  the  lines  and  rotundity  of  the 
figure  are,  when  the  wearer  rises  In  trotting,  dis- 
played to  the  wondering  gaze  of  those  who  ride  be- 
hind her.  As,  In  the  apron  skirt,  there  Is  no  cover- 
ing' of  Melton  cloth  to  sit  on  and  take  off  some  of 
the  wear  and  tear  of  the  breeches,  these  garments 
become  quickly  worn  out  at  the  seat,  and  necessitate  a 
double  thickness  of  cloth  at  that  part.  There  is 
another  kind  of  safety  skirt  which  Is  a  combination  of 
breeches  and  skirt  In  one  ;  but  I  consider  this  a  very 
unsanitary  arrangement,  for  It  is  obvious  that  the  under- 
garment must  be  kept  clean,  and  handed  over  when 


APRON    SKIRTS. 


97 


necessary  to  the  laundress  to  be  carefully  washed, 
before  sending  it  to  a  tailor  to  be  pressed  and  repaired 
as  may  be  required.  It  is  part  of  a  groom's  duty  in 
small    households    to    attend    to    the    cleaning    of    his 


f 


I''^-  55- — Apron  skirt  open  for  mounting. 


mistress's  hunting  boots  and  skirt,  but  a  combination 
garment  should  not  be  cleaned  by  a  male  servant. 

Any  skirt  which  ensures  safety  in  the  saddle  is  pre- 
ferable to  the  old-fashioned  shape,  with  its  dangerous 


98  RIDING    DRESS. 

bundle  of  cloth  over  the  crutches,  a  fact  which 
Is  so  well  understood  by  hunting  women  that  none 
who  hunt  in  Leicestershire,  or  I  hope  in  any  other 
place,  appear  in  those  early  Victorian  atrocities. 
Provision  of  this  kind  does  not  appear  to  be  insisted 
on  for  the  safety  of  young  ladies  ;  for  I  saw  a  girl 
dragged  In  Leicestershire,  and  Lord  Lonsdale,  who 
fortunately  stopped  her  horse,  sent  her  home,  and 
told  her  not  to  hunt  with  his  hounds  until  she  had 
provided  herself  with  a  safety  skirt.  The  young  and 
Inexperienced,  who,  with  the  fearlessness  of  Ignor- 
ance, are  prone  to  rush  headlong  Into  difficulties, 
ought  surely  to  be  safeguarded  In  every  possible 
manner.  Fig.  57  shows  a  safe  and  comfortable  riding- 
dress  for  a  very  young  girl.  For  winter  w^ear,  the 
coat  and  leggings  should  be  made  of  Melton  ;  and  the 
breeches  of  elastic  cloth  or  knitted  wool  to  match.  It 
is  well  to  have  the  coat  buttoned  over  the  right  leg,  so 
as  to  protect  that  limb  from  cold  and  wet.  For  summer 
use,  a  linen  coat  Is  worn.  We  may  notice  that  the 
sweet  little  horsewoman  has  a  good  seat,  and  Is  capable 
of  taking  sole  charge  of  her  nice  pony. 

The  safest  and  most  comfortable  length  for  a  riding- 
skirt  Is  when  It  just  covers  the  rider's  left  foot  when  she 
is  seated  In  the  saddle  with  her  stirrup  at  Its  usual 
length.  It  Is  best  for  a  lady  to  use  her  own  saddle  when 
having  her  habit  fitted,  as  her  stirrup  will  then  be  at 
the  length  she  rides  In,  and  the  crutches  will  also 
receive  the  necessary  consideration  from  the  fitter. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  the  skirt  fits  well  over  the 


APRON    SKIRTS. 


99 


right  knee,  when  the  wearer  Is  seated  in  her  saddle. 
Creed  and  other  good  makers  of  the  past  always 
padded  this  knee  part,  which  gave  not  only  a  nice, 
rounded    appearance    to    the    knee,    especially    in    the 


»A 


Sf»N: 


P'ig.  56. — The  apron  skirl  closed  for  walking. 

case  of  a  very  thin  lady,  but  ensured  the  skirt  being 
put  on  straight  with  a  minimum  of  trouble.  Present 
day  skirts  have  not  this  small  round  pad  for  the  right 
knee  to  fit  into,  but  its  omission  is  far  from  being  an 
improvement  on  the  old  fashion. 


lOO  RIDING    DRESS. 

Whatever  shape  a  lady  may  select  for  her 
riding  coat,  she  should  pay  particular  attention  to 
the  fit  of  the  sleeves,  which  must  not  in  any  way 
hamper  the  movements  of  her  arms.  Before  trying- 
it  on,  its  wearer  should  procure  a  good  pair  of  riding 
corsets,  which  must  allow  free  play  to  the  move- 
ments of  her  hips,  and,  above  all,  she  must  not  lace 
them  tightly.  Wasp  waists  have  luckily  gone  out, 
never,  I  hope,  to  return.  The  size  of  a  woman's 
waist,  if  she  is  not  deformed,  is  in  proportion  to 
that  of  the  rest  of  her  body.  Therefore,  a  pinched 
waist,  besides  rendering  the  tightly  girthed-up  lady 
uncomfortable,  to  say  nothing  of  its  probable  effect 
on  the  tint  of  her  nose,  deceives  no  one.  It  is  im- 
possible to  ride  with  ease  and  grace  in  tight  stays, 
a  fact  which  we  should  remember  when  trying  on 
a  habit  coat,  for  the  fitter  will  follow  the  shape,  or 
mis-shape,  of  the  corsets,  and  the  coat  will  be  built 
on  those  lines.  The  back  of  the  garment  should  be 
quite  flat,  and  padding  may  be  needed  in  the  case  of 
hollow  backs,  as  there  should  be  no  high  water  line 
across  the  back  defining  where  corset  ends  and  back 
commences.  The  collar  should  fit  nicely  into  the 
neck  at  the  back,  and  not  gape  open  from  being  cut 
too  low.  There  should  be  no  fulness  at  the  top 
of  the  sleeves,  for  nothing  looks  more  unsightly  than 
"  bumpy  shoulders  "  on  horseback.  It  would  be  well 
for  the  wearer  when  trying  on,  to  lean  back  and 
extend  her  arms,  as  she  would  do  when  giving  her 
horse   his  head  over  a  fence,    in    order   to   find  out  if 


RIDING    DRESS    FOR    CHILD. 


101 


the  sleeves  are  likely  to  hamper  the  movements  of 
the  arms,  as  they  sometimes  do,  from  the  coat  being 
cut  too  narrow  across  the  chest.  It  is  no  use  fitting 
on    a    coat    once   or     twice,    and     then    leaving-    it    to 


Phoio  /;)'] 


[The  Rev.  G.  Broke. 
Y'v^.  57. — Riding  dress  for  child. 


chance  ;  for,  to  secure  a  perfect  fit,  the  garment  will 
require  to  be  tried  on  until  there  are  no  further 
alterations  to  be  made  in  It.  Whatever  shape  may 
be  chosen,  the  coat  should  not  be  made  too  lono-  or 
it  will  flap  and  flop  about  in  a  most  ungraceful  manner. 
Fio-.  ::8    shows  a  loose-fittino-  coat  which    is   not   smart, 


102  RIDING    DRESS. 

because  It  Is  too  long,  cind  as  It  rests  on  the  horse's 
back,  it  will  wrinkle  up  when  its  wearer  sits  down  in 
trotting  and  will  look  ugly.  If  this  coat  was  a 
good  four  Inches  shorter  at  the  back,  and  graduated 
off  to  just  cover  the  right  knee,  It  would  be  clear  of 
the  horse's  back  and  present  a  far  neater  and  less 
sloppy  appearance.  Many  habit  makers  who  run  apron 
skirts  of  their  own,  insist  on  making  riding  coats 
far  too  long,  of  course  with  the  object  of  hiding  the 
indecency  of  the  apron  skirt  when  Its  wearer  is  on 
foot.  Ladies  who  do  not  adopt  that  kind  of  skirt, 
should  not  allow  tailors  who  have  had  no  practical 
experience  in  side-saddle  riding,  to  dictate  what  they 
consider  best,  to  experienced  horsewomen.  I  find 
that  young  habit  makers  who  are  new  at  their  busi- 
ness are  far  more  trying  In  this  respect,  than  their 
more  experienced  elders. 

We  have  only  to  look  at  fashion  plates  to  see 
that  no  dress  Is  suggested  for  ladles  who  are  inclined 
to  be  stout,  for  In  them,  only  slim  figures  appear  to 
receive  consideration.  I  would  recommend  the  loose- 
fitting  coat  as  the  most  becoming  for  portly  persons, 
because  with  a  loose  garment  there  is  no  abrupt  accen- 
tuation of  bulk,  a  fact  which  many  stout  ladies  who 
adopt  the  Eton  jacket  style  of  dress,  fail  to  recognise. 
On  the  stage,  a  slim  actress  may  look  well  in  tights, 
but  this  skin-like  covering  on  a  bulky  figure  would  be 
ridiculously  ugly.  As  the  same  lady  draped  In  loose 
flowing  robes  may  present  a  graceful  and  dignified 
appearance  ;  those  who  are  Inclined  to  be  portly  would 


COATS  FOR  STOUT  LADIES. 


103 


do  well  to  wear  loose-fitting  riding  coats,  being  careful 
to  see  that  they  are  made  to  just  reach  the  saddle  and 
not  flop  on  the  back  of  the  horse,  or  they  will  not  be 
smart  or  comfortable  to  ride   In.       In   Fig.  58  I   have 


Fig.  58. — Loose  riding  coat,  too  long. 

shown  how  unnecessarily  bulky  a  woman  with  a  25-Inch 
waist  may  be  made  to  look  In  a  loose  coat  which  Is  too 
long.  Tailors  do  not  like  making  these  articles  of 
dress,  especially  when  they  are  of  Melton  cloth,  be- 
cause they   are   extremely   difficult   to   manipulate,  and 


104  RIDING    DRESS. 

the  "hang  "of  such  a  garment  will  be  hideous  if  its 
cutter  be  not  a  true  artist  at  his  business,  for  a  loose  coat 
is  nothing  if  not  graceful  in  outline.  It  is  impossible 
to  tell,  when  seated  on  a  wooden  horse,  how  a  loose 
coat  will  hang  w^hen  ridden  in,  so  the  finishing  touches, 
such  as  pockets,  &c.,  should  never  be  made  until  the 
wearer  has  tried  the  coat  on  her  own  horse,  with  a 
critical  friend  to  ride  with  her  and  tell  her  if  any- 
thing is  amiss  with  it.  The  little  extra  trouble  this 
precaution  may  involve,  is  nothing  as  compared  with 
the  disappointment  of  having  to  "put  up"  with  an 
ill-fitting  garment.  Some  tailors  have  a  Mayhew 
saddle  on  their  block  horse  for  fitting  skirts  ;  because 
in  that  kind  of  saddle,  the  crutches  give  them  no 
trouble  as  regards  "  poking  up  "  ;  but  if  a  lady  uses  a 
saddle  with  ordinary  crutches,  she  should  be  wary  and 
take  her  own  saddle  for  the  fitting  of  her  skirt.  There 
are  habit  makers  who  recommend  tight-fitting  coats  for 
stout  figures,  because,  they  argue,  the  bulk  is  there  and 
must  go  somewhere  ;  but  a  deaf  ear  should  be  turned 
to  such  arguments,  as  an  ample  figure  should  be 
concealed  ;  not  accentuated.  Naturally  these  gentle- 
men are  prejudiced  against  loose  coats,  for  apart  from 
the  difficulty  in  making  them,  they  cut  into  a  much 
larger  amount  of  valuable  cloth  than  tight-fitting 
ones.  Tailors  will  readily  admit  that  this  shaped 
coat  is  the  best  for  young  girls,  because  tight-fitting 
ones  would  give  them  too  much  of  a  "grown-up 
appearance,"  but  not  for  the  stout  girl,  who  has  far 
more  need  to  conceal  her  "  grown-up  appearance  "  ! 


TIGHT-FITTING   COATS. 


105 


Twenty  years  ago  tailors  were  much  more  particular 
over  their  work  than  they  appear  to  be  at  the  present 
time.  Creed  always  insisted  on  a  lady  bringing  her 
own   saddle,    before   he  would  fit  a  habit,   and,   if  the 


Fig.  59. — Front  view  of  good  riding  coat. 

garment  did  not  please  him,  it  would  be  discarded 
and  another  cut  out  ready  for  her  when  she  next  came 
to    be   fitted.      This  generous  method   of  dealing   was 


io6  RIDING    DRESS. 

amply  repaid  ;  because  it  soon  became  known  that  the 
old  man  would  not  allow  an  imperfect  garment  to  leave 
his  shop. 

For  hunting,  it  is  best  to  have  a  coat  which  w411 
afford  us  protection  from  cold  and  wet,  and  therefore 
its  fronts  should  be  made  to  cover  the  right  knee, 
the  buttons  being  concealed  under  the  ''skirt"  of  the 
coat.  This  shape  is  in  every  way  good,  because  there 
are  no  floppy  fronts  to  trouble  us  by  blowing  back 
on  windy  days,  and  when  the  rain  drips  from  the  hat, 
the  coat-covering  helps  to  keep  our  right  knee  dry. 
In  the  old-fashioned  habits,  great  care  w^as  taken  that 
nothing  could  become  displaced,  to  spoil  the  effect, 
as  an  old  lady  friend  puts  it,  of ''the  beautiful  gliding 
motion  of  a  ship  in  full  sail."  I  fear  now-a-days  we 
allow  our  sails  to  flop  about  far  too  much,  and  destroy 
that  "beautiful  gliding  motion."  What  could  be  more 
ugly  than  a  coat  with  tails  which  reach  nearly  to  a 
horse's  hocks,  and  no  front  covering  whatever  to  pro- 
tect the  knee  in  bad  w^eather  ?  Wind,  which  is  no 
respecter  of  persons,  seizes  these  long  tails  and  hurls 
them  over  the  back  of  the  rider's  head,  as  she  stands 
in  a  wild  blast  at  the  covert  side  looking  very  "  tailly  " 
and  cold.  Besides  covering  the  right  knee,  the  coat 
should  have  a  collar  that  will  turn  up  and  fasten  at 
the  throat  with  a  button  and  strap,  to  keep  out  wet, 
and  cuffs  that  w^ill  turn  down  over  the  hands. 

Clad  in  a  sensible  garment  of  this  kind,  which 
should  be  smart  and  w^ell-fitting,  we  can  defy  the 
elements  without  running  any   undue   risks.       Fig.  59 


WELL-MADE   COAT. 


T07 


shows  a  coat  which  is  made  to  cover  the  right  knee. 
Fig.  60  gives  the  back  view,  and  is  a  useful  length. 
Fashion,    whoever    he    or    she   may   be,   invents   more 


'i 


P'ig.  60. — Back  view  of  good  riding  coat. 

or  less  fearful  and  wonderful  coats,  which  appear  every 
season  in  the  hunting  field  ;  but  these  curiosities  ''  go 
out  "   suddenly,   and   the   end  of  the   season  generally 


io8  RIDING    DRESS. 

sees    us    all    garbed  In   the   old  motley  ;  for   the   new- 
comers have  been  tried  and  found  wanthig. 

The  best  way  to  clean  a  mud-stained  habit  is  to 
dry  it  thoroughly  and  brush  the  mud  off  Any  white 
marks  of  perspiration  from  the  horse  which  may 
remain  after  a  skirt  has  been  thoroughly  brushed  and 
beaten,  may  be  removed  by  benzine  collas,  or  cloudy 
ammonia  diluted  with  water,  or  they  may  be  sponged 
with  soft  soap  and  water,  care  being  taken  to  remove 
all  the  soap  from  the.  cloth. 

For  riding  during  the  hot  weather  in  India  and 
other  tropical  countries,  a  very  useful  garment  is  a 
Norfolk  jacket  in  cream  stockinet,  which  can  be 
purchased  ready-made.  It  fits  the  figure  closely,  and 
has  three  pleats  in  front  and  behind,  which  are  sewn 
to  the  garment,  the  buttons  being  concealed  under  the 
front  pleat  (Fig.  6i).  The  best  kind  of  belt,  I 
think,  for  wearing  with  this  jacket  is  one  made  like 
a  girth,  of  ordinary  cream  girth  webbing,  as  it  is  easy 
to  wash  when  soiled.  Jackets  in  white  drill,  which 
may  be  worn  open  with  soft-fronted  shirts  (Fig.  62), 
are  also  to  be  commended,  as  they  wash  well  and 
always  look  clean  and  cool.  Some  ladies  dispense 
with  a  jacket,  and  ride  with  a  shirt  and  belt  ;  but  that 
style  is  not  generally  becoming,  and  is  suggestive  of 
forgetfulness  in  dressing.  In  Ceylon  I  obtained  very 
smart  checked  flannel  for  riding  jackets.  In  China 
and  Japan  a  fine  crepe  flannel,  which  does  not  shrink 
in  washing,  may  be  had  for  this  purpose,  but  I  have 
been  unable  to  procure  it  in  other  countries. 


JACKETS    FOR    THE    TROPICS.  109 

A  ladv  who  intends  to  hunt  will  find  a  drivine'  coat 
necessary  when  travelling  by  rail,  or  driving  to  and 
from  a  hunt.  Fig.  63  show\s  a  comfortable  coat  in 
Melton  cloth,  with  ''storm"  collar  and  cuffs  of  astra- 
kan.     A  good   driving    coat  is  a   costly   garment,   but 


Fig.  61. — Terai  hat  and  Norfolk 
jacket. 


Fie:.  62. — Pith  hat  and  drill 


ig 


jacket. 


it  can  be  utilised  as  a  winter  or  travelling  coat.  The 
collar  of  the  subject  of  this  illustration  was  made 
specially  high  for  use  in  Russia,  where,  during  winter, 
the  cold  is  so  intense  that  I  often  found  my  pocket- 
handkerchief  frozen  hard  in  my  pocket,  although  this 
thick  Melton  coat  was  wadded  throughout.  The 
Hayes'   Safety   skirt   worn   under   this  coat    is    looped 


no  RIDING    DRESS. 

up  from  the  right  knee  button  to  a  tab  of  elastic 
attached  to  the  waist  of  the  skirt,  which  obviates  the 
necessity  of  hokling  up  the  skirt. 

BREECHES. 

I  shall  not  say  anything  about  trousers,  because  I 
do  not  think  thev  are  worn  bv  ridino-  w^omen  of  the 
present  time,  and  also  for  the  very  good  reason 
that  I  have  never  worn  them.  I  think  they  w^ould 
be  uncomfortable  to  use  for  hunting,  for,  unlike 
breeches,  they  do  not  fit  the  knees  closely.  Trousers 
went  out  of  fashion  about  thirty  years  ago,  before 
safety  skirts  came  into  general  use.  It  used  to  be 
extremely  difficult  for  ladies  to  get  a  properly-fitting 
pair  of  riding  breeches,  as  no  correct  measurement  for 
them  was  taken,  and  it  was  not  pleasant  to  be  obliged 
to  interview  male  fitters  respecting  the  cut  of  these 
garments.  Messrs.  Tautz  and  Sons,  of  Oxford  Street, 
solved  the  difficulty  by  providing  us  with  a  competent 
female  fitter,  who  takes  careful  measurements  for 
breeches,  and  rectifies  any  faults  there  may  be  in  their 
fit.  The  best  kind  of  material  for  breeches  is  elastic 
cloth,  which  is  specially  made  for  that  purpose.  It  is 
both  strong  and  porous,  and  can  be  obtained  in  any 
shade  to  match  the  riding-habit,  which,  of  course,  is 
necessarv.  The  breeches  should  be  fitted  while  the 
wearer  is  seated  on  a  wooden  horse,  and  special 
attention  should  be  devoted  to  their  cut  at  the  knees  ; 
for  if  the  cloth  at  the  right  knee  does  not  lie  flat 
and   fit   that  part  like  a  glove,  the   wearer  will   suffer 


BREECHES. 


1 1 1 


discomfort  from  being  "  rubbed  "  by  the  friction  of  the 
superfluous  material.  Following  the  senseless  custom 
adopted  by  men,  many  of  whom  hate  it  themselves, 
we  have  our  breeches  to  button  on  the  shin  bone.      I 


•"-""•A^S^ 


-^    . 


^^S-  ^3- — Good  driving  coat. 

would  recommend  ladies  who  experience  discomfort, 
from  the  combined  pressure  of  boot  and  breeches 
buttoned  on  the  shin  bone,  either  to  revert  to  the  old 
style  of  buttoning  the  breeches  a  little  to  the  outside  of 


112  RIDING    DRESS. 

the  leg,  or  to  have  their  riding  boots  made  shorter,  see 
page  1 1 7.  Besides,  there  is  no  necessity  for  us  to 
ape  men's  fashions  in  either  boots  or  breeches,  because 
these  garments  are  not  seen,  and  we  require  them  to 
be  thoroughly  comfortable.  For  hunting  and  winter 
use  I  like  what  are  called  "continuations"  fixed  to 
breeches,  as  these  gaiter-like  pieces  of  cloth  cover  the 
leg  to  a  certain  distance  below  the  swell  of  the  calf, 
and  keep  it  warm,  besides  preventing  the  knee  of  the 
breeches  from  working  round,  w^hich  men  obviate  by 
using  garter-straps.  Leather  breeches  for  ladies'  use 
are  too  unsanitary  to  merit  consideration. 

For  use  in  the  tropics,  a  lady  would  require  breeches 
of  a  very  thin  make  of  elastic  cloth,  and,  if  continua- 
tions were  liked,  it  w^ould  be  best  to  have  them  made 
detachable,  as  they  could  not  be  worn  with  comfort 
during  the  hot  weather. 

UNDERCLOTHING. 

Ladies  who  hunt  should  always  carefully  protect 
themselves  against  chill  by  the  adoption  of  w^arm 
underclothing,  for  they  are  frequently  exposed  for 
hours  to  bitter  cold,  wind,  snow,  sleet,  hail  and 
fog,  and  If  one  is  thinly  clad,  and,  as  often  hap- 
pens, there  is  a  long  wait  at  a  covert  side,  a  dan- 
gerous chill  may  be  contracted.  An  under-vest  of 
"  natural  "  wool  should  be  worn  next  the  skin, 
and  a  pair  of  woollen  combinations  which  button 
close  to  the  throat,  and  are  provided  w^ith  long- 
sleeves,    will    be    found    verv    comfortable    and  warm. 


UNDERCLOTHING.  113 

Combinations  are  better  for  riding  use  at  any 
time  than  ordinary  underclothing,  as  there  Is  no 
superfluous  material  in  them  to  become  displaced  and 
cause  discomfort.  They  can  be  had  In  very  thin 
material  for  use  In  the  tropics  and  for  summer  wear. 
Warm  woollen  stockings  are  to  be  recommended  for 
hunting,  and  especially  for  ladles  who  suffer  from  cold 
feet.  Those  w^ho  find  woollen  garments  irritating  to 
the  skin  may  remove  the  difficulty  by  wearing  them 
over  thin  silk.  Any  trouble  In  keeping  the  stockings 
in  place  can  be  best  overcome  by  the  use  of  plain 
sewn  elastic  garters,  which  have  no  buckles  or  straps, 
being  placed  below  the  knees,  and  the  upper  part  of 
the  stockings  turned  back  over  them  and  pulled  down 
the  leg  as  far  as  they  will  go,  so  that  each  stocking 
may  lie  perfectly  flat  on  the  leg.  The  elastic  bands 
should  be  of  the  usual  garter  width,  and  should  be 
sufficiently  roomy  not  to  hurt  the  legs.  As  I  found 
chamois  leather,  with  which  breeches  are  usually  lined, 
unsatisfactory,  I  invented  a  comfortable  substitute  for 
it  In  the  form  of  a  removable  pad,  which  has  met 
with  the  approval  of  several  hunting  women.  I  would 
be  happy  to  give  privately  any  particulars  concerning 
this  Invention  to  ladies  who  mav  be  interested  In  it. 

HATS. 

The  tall  silk  hat  has,  during  recent  years,  been 
largely  superseded  by  the  more  comfortable  if  less 
elegant-looking  bowler.  On  hunt  full-dress  occasions, 
such  as  a  Ouorn  Friday,  the  ladies  of  the  hunt  generally 

8 


114  RIDIXG    DRESS. 

wear  tall  hats,  but  I  notice  that  bowlers  have  as  a 
rule  been  worn  during  the  rest  of  the  week.  The 
high  hat  is  said  to  be  the  more  becoming  of  the  two, 
but  it  takes  a  lot  of  trouble  to  keep  in  order,  and  a 
bowler  is  more  comfortable  and  useful  for  rough  work. 
A  lady  who  is  wearing  a  tall  hat  for  the  first  time, 
should  not  forget  to  lower  her  head  well  in  passing 
under  trees,  as  this  kind  of  head-gear  requires  more 
head  room  than  a  bowler.  The  best  arrangement  for 
keeping  a  riding  hat  firmly  fixed  on  the  head  is  to 
have  a  small  piece  of  velvet  sewn  inside  the  front, 
so  that  it  comes  on  the  forehead,  and  to  have  for  the 
back,  a  piece  of  elastic  an  inch  wide  sewn  to  the  hat, 
well  to  the  front.  Care  should  be  taken  that  the 
elastic  is  not  too  tight,  in  which  case  it  might  cause  a 
nasty  headache,  as  well  as  a  ridge  on  the  forehead  from 
the  pressure  of  the  hat.  In  selecting  a  bowler,  a  lady 
should  be  careful  to  choose  a  becoming  shape,  as  these 
hats  vary  greatly  in  form.  To  my  mind,  the  kind 
most  generally  becoming  has  a  low  crown  and  rather 
broad  brim.  High-crowned  hats  with  closely  turned- 
up  brim  are  trying  to  most  faces. 

Although  it  is  not  usual  for  hunting  women  in  the 
Shires  to  wear  hat-guards,  I  would  strongly  recom- 
mend their  adoption,  because,  however  well  a  hat 
may  be  secured  by  elastic,  an  overhanging  branch  at 
a  fence  may  knock  it  off,  and  it  is  as  well  to  be  able 
to  recover  it  without  assistance.  When  hunting  this 
season,  I  lost  my  hat  at  a  fence,  and  my  long-suffering- 
husband   had  to  give  up  a  good  place  in  a  run  to  go 


HATS.  115 

back  and  fetch  it,  whereas,  if  I  had  had  a  hat-guard, 
this  tiresome  occurrence  would  have  been  prevented. 
It  is  best  to  attach  the  cord  of  the  hat-guard  to  a 
button-hole  of  the  habit-jacket,  for  then,  if  the  hat 
comes  off,  the  cord  can  be  more  easily  caught  than  if 
it  is  fastened  inside  the  back  of  the  collar  of  the  coat. 
On  windy  days  the  advantage  of  a  hat-cord  is  obvious. 
Ladies  who  object  to  its  use  may  say  that  overhanging 
branches  should  be  avoided,  but  when  hounds  are 
running,  and  one  is  mounted  on  a  tall  horse,  it  is 
impossible  to  always  steer  clear  of  stray  twigs,  and 
therefore  men  find  a  hat-guard  very  useful. 

For  tropical  climates  the  pith  hat  or  sola  topee  (Fig. 
62)  is  best  for  the  hot  weather.  Helmets,  besides 
being  apt  to  give  one  a  headache  on  account  of  their 
weight,  do  not  afford  sufficient  protection  to  the  rider's 
temples  from  the  sun.  The  double  Terai  hat  of  grey 
felt  (Fig.  61)  is  becoming,  but  it  is  very  heavy. 
Pith  is  lightest  and  most  suitable  for  wear  during 
intense  heat.  In  the  cool  weather  a  bowler  or  straw 
sailor  may  be  worn ;  but  even  in  the  cold  season 
ladies  should  avoid  wearing  a  small  hat  when  the  sun 
is  above  the  horizon,  for  its  rays  are  treacherous.  I 
have  had  many  a  splitting  headache  from  disregard  of 
this  precaution. 

In  trying  on  a  riding  hat,  the  hair  should  be  dressed 
low  down,  as  it  w^ill  be  worn  when  riding,  in  order  to 
obtain  a  comfortable  fit  ;  for  the  hat  must  fit  the  head 
and  not  be  perched  on  the  top  of  it,  or  it  will  not 
''  remain  "  if  the  horse  goes  out  of  a  walk.      The  old 

8* 


ii6  RIDING   DRESS. 

arrangement  of  dressing  the  hair  In  a  coll  of  plaits  at 
the  nape  of  the  neck  has  quite  gone  out,  but  It  was 
a  far  neater  one  for  riding  than  the  "  tea-pot  handle" 
and  other  curious  knobs  and  buns  of  the  present  time. 
The  pulled-out  style,  In  bad  Imitation  of  Japanese  hair 
dressing,  gives  a  dirty  and  untidy  appearance,  and 
looks  perfectly  hideous  on  horseback,  and  especially 
when  the  place  where  the  back  hair  ought  to  be,  is 
adorned  with  a  round  brooch  !  If  ladies  who  adopt 
this  bad  style  could  only  see  how  much  It  vulgarises 
an  otherwise  nice  appearance,  they  would  at  once 
abjure  It.  A  neat  way  to  arrange  the  hair  for  hunting 
Is  to  coil  it  firmly  round  the  head,  and  fasten  It  with 
plenty  of  hairpins — those  bent  In  the  centre  and  with 
ball  points  are,  I  think,  the  most  reliable — and  to  pin 
over  the  hair  an  ''Invisible"  silken  net  the  same 
colour  as  the  hair,  which  will  keep  it  tidy. 

BOOTS. 

I  wish  to  lay  particular  stress  on  the  necessity  of 
riding  boots  having  thin  pliable  soles,  and  being 
easy  over  the  instep  ;  because  I  once  saw  a  lady 
dragged  by  her  stirrup  and  only  saved  from  death  by 
her  boot  coming  off  and  thus  releasing  her.  I  do  not 
think  that  sufficient  attention  Is  paid  either  by  ladles 
or  bootmakers  to  the  fact  that  a  loose  riding  boot  may 
be  the  means  of  saving  Its  wearer  s  life  :  I  never 
devoted  much  thought  to  the  subject  before  witnessing 
this  accident.  The  use  of  tight  boots  In  winter  has 
the  great  disadvantage  of  keeping   the  feet  very  cold. 


BOOTS.  117 

even  when  warm  stockings  are  worn.  Saddlers  have 
invented  safety  bars  and  stirrups,  habit  makers  have 
provided  safety  skirts,  but  bootmakers  have  not  yet 
thought  out  a  hunting  boot  which  would  release  the 
foot  in  the  event  of  a  safety  bar  failing  to  act,  or  of 
a  safety  or  other  stirrup  being  crushed  in  a  fall.  A 
thin  pliable  sole  and  plenty  of  room  over  the  instep 
to  allow  of  the  left  foot  being  easily  pulled  through 
the  boot,  would  greatly  minimise  the  danger  in  ques- 
tion. We  seldom  hear  of  a  jockey  being  dragged, 
although  flat  races  are  ridden  in  saddles  that  have 
no  releasing  bars,  and  even  steeplechases  are  often 
ridden  in  these  saddles,  when  a  rider  has  a  diffi- 
culty in  getting  down  to  the  weight  ;  but  all  jockeys 
wear  boots  which  have  thin,  and,  consequently,  very 
pliable  soles.  Fashion  dictates  that  ladies'  top-boots 
should  be  as  high  as  those  worn  by  men,  which  is 
very  absurd  ;  because  they  are  not  seen,  and  the  hard, 
unyielding  leather  of  a  high  top-boot  pressing  either 
on  the  breeches  buttons,  or  on  the  under  part  of  the 
right  leg  is  apt  to  cause  great  pain  and  discomfort. 
Then,  again,  when  a  Champion  and  Wilton  saddle 
with  safety  bar  flap  is  used,  the  top  of  the  left  boot 
is  liable  to  catch  in  the  flap  when  its  wearer  is  rising  at 
the  trot  and  is  thus  apt  to  release  the  stirrup  leather. 
Fig.  64  shows  the  top  of  the  boot  in  position  to  raise 
the  safety  bar  flap  in  the  manner  mentioned.  I  have 
obviated  these  inconveniences  and  have  ridden  in 
comfort  by  wearing  boots  made  two  inches  shorter 
than  the  regulation   height,   and   by  wearing  breeches 


ii8  RIDING    DRESS. 

with  ''  continuations,"  no  stockings  are  exposed 
to  view,  even  when  one  gets  a  fail.  With 
boots  of  this  length  there  is  no  possibility  of 
the  left  leg  being  hurt  by  pressure  of  boot  and 
breeches  buttons  on  the  shin  bone.  Fashionable 
bootmakers  who  build  boots  for  ladies  on  the  pattern 
of  those  worn  by  men,  seem  to  be  unaware  of  the 
fact  that  a  woman's  grip  in  a  side-saddle  is  entirely 
different  from  that  of  a  man  in  a  cross-saddle,  and  many 
ladies  suffer  unnecessary  discomfort  by  meekly  accept- 
ing what  they  are  told  is  "  the  proper  thing."  Our 
friend  Mr.  James  Fillis,  in  his  interesting  work,  Break- 
ing and  Riding,  says  that  for  ladies'  wear  he  prefers 
"  ordinary  boots  to  long  boots,  which  are  too  hard,  and 
are  consequently  apt  to  cut  the  wearer  under  the  knee, 
and  to  prevent  her  feeling  the  horse  with  her  leg  ;  "  but 
as  ordinary  boots  would  not  be  considered  sufficiently 
smart  for  hunting,  or  even  hacking  in  the  Row,  the 
compromise  I  advocate  will  be  found  to  answer  all 
requirements.  In  ordering  a  pair  of  riding  boots 
we  should  go  to  a  good  maker  and  have  them 
of  patent  leather,  which  is  smarter  and  cleaner 
than  blacking  leather.  For  wear  in  tropical  coun- 
tries, I  found  that  boots  which  have  the  foot  part 
of  patent  leather  and  the  leg  of  morocco,  with  a 
thin  leather  lining  to  stiffen  and  keep  the  leg  part 
in  place,  are  cooler  and  more  comfortable  than  any 
other  kind.  A  pair  of  boot-hooks  will  be  required 
for  putting  them  on,  and  a  boot-jack  for  taking  them 
off.       A  little  Lucca    oil    used     occasionally  prevents 


BOOTS. 


119 


patent  leather  from  cracking.  The  dry  mud  should 
be  brushed  off  soiled  boots  with  a  soft  brush  that  will 
not    scratch    the    leather,    and     they    should    then    be 


Fig.  64.  —Top  of  boot  catching  on  safety  bar  flap. 

sponged  over  with  a  damp  sponge  and  polished  with 
a  selvyt  or  chamois  leather.  Patent  leather,  which  has 
lost   its   brightness   from    wear,   can   be  polished   with 


I20  RIDING    DRESS. 

Harris's  Harness  Polish  or  any  similar  preparation 
which  does  not  cake  on  the  leather  or  Injure  It  In  any 
way.  We  should  remember  that  boots  will  last  much 
longer  and  retain  their  shape  to  the  end  if  they  are 
always  kept,  when  not  in  use,  on  trees.  It  is  best  to 
wear  new  riding  boots  In  the  house  before  they  are 
ridden  In,  so  as  to  make  them  pliable  to  the  "tread" 
In  walking,  and  to  work  off  their  stiff  and  uncomfort- 
able feeling. 

GLOVES. 

Antelope-skin  or  dog-skin  gloves  are,  I  think,  the 
best  for  hunting.  I  prefer  the  former,  as  they  are  very 
soft  and  pliable.  Whatever  kind  of  gloves  are  chosen, 
care  should  be  taken  to  have  them  sufficiently  large 
to  allow  perfect  freedom  to  the  hands  ;  for  tight 
gloves  make  the  hands  cold,  and  greatly  impede  their 
action  in  the  management  of  the  reins.  In  selecting 
gloves,  a  careful  measurement  of  the  fingers  should  be 
taken,  so  that  they  may  not  be  too  short.  Although 
gloves  of  the  best  quality  are  somewhat  expensive, 
they  are  well  cut,  they  wear  better  and  are  altogejther 
more  satisfactory  than  cheap  imitations.  On  very  cold 
days,  I  prefer  white  woollen  gloves  to  any  other  kind. 
In  wet  weather  they  are  Indispensable,  for  a  better 
grip  of  slippery  reins  can  be  got  with  them  than 
with  leather  ones.  I  agree  with  Jorrocks  that  "  Berlin 
gloves  are  capital  for  'unting  in,  they  keep  your  'ands 
warm,  and  do  to  rub  your  nose  upon  in  cold  weather," 
though    I    have  not   tried   their  effect   in  this  respect ! 


GLOVES. 


121 


During  a  winter  which  I  spent  in  Russia,  I  derived  the 
greatest  comfort  from  the  use  of  woollen  gloves,  which 
I    found  far   warmer  than   any   other   kind.       For  the 


Fig, 


65. — FrunL  view  of  riding  undcr-bodicc. 


tropics,  kid  or  suede  gloves  may  be  worn  in  the  cold 
weather,  but  in  the  hot  months  I  found  white  cotton 
the  most  comfortable  kind,  as  they  are  cool,  thin  and 
soft,    and  wash  and  wear   better  than   silk,  which  the 


122  RIDING    DRESS. 

reins  quickly  destroy.  Perspiration  from  the  hands 
will  show  through  leather  gloves,  which,  on  drying,  will 
become  as  stiff  as  a  board.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  rings  worn  when  riding,  especially  those  contain- 
ing stones,  hamper  the  action  of  the  fingers,  and  are 
very  destructive  to  gloves. 

RIDING     UNDER-BODICE,    HUNTING-TIES,    COLLARS,     CUFFS 

.    AND    TIES. 

A  garment  which  I  have  thought  out,  and  which  I 
believe  will  fill  a  want,  is  a  riding  under-bodice  with 
long  sleeves  and  wristbands,  to  w^hich  cuffs  can  be  at- 
tached, and  also  a  stud  at  the  throat  for  the  attachment 
of  a  hunting-tie  or  collar.  This  bodice  is  in  stockinet, 
and  fits  closely,  without,  as  in  the  case  of  ordinary  shirts, 
any  superfluous  material  marring  the  outline  of  the 
figure  (Figs.  65  and  66).  Ladies  generally  have  so 
much  dif^culty  in  fastening  cuffs,  that  they  will  doubtless 
welcome  a  close-fitting  garment  of  this  description,  and 
it  will  do  away  with  the  tiresome  habit-shirts  and 
dickeys  which  have  an  irritating  trick  of  following- 
one's  neck  about,  instead  of  remaining  in  a  fixed 
position.  Besides,  collars  which  cannot  be  kept  firmly 
In  place  generally  necessitate  the  use  of  pins,  w^hich 
.  should  never  be  employed  with  any  article  of  riding- 
attire. 

A  hunting-tie  or  stock,  which  is  a  combination  of 
collar  and  tie,  the  collar  part  being  either  starched 
or  soft,  according  to  choice,  is  the  warmest  and  most 
becoming  kind  of  neck  arrangement  for  hunting.      It  is 


RIDING    UNDER-BODICE. 


123 


not  easy  to  put  on  neatly,  and  it  would  be  well  for  a 
novice  when  purchasing  these  ties  to  get  the  shopman 
to  initiate   her   into  their   mysteries,  and   to   take  one 


^     /'    *;  ^f  ■•  •    ^  i . 


pig_  66.  — Back  view  of  riding  under-bodicc. 


home  correctly  tied,  to  be  kept  as  a  copy  until  its 
somewhat  intricate  manipulation  has  been  mastered. 
My    husband's    directions    for    the    arrangement    of   a 


124  RIDING    DRESS. 

hunting-tie  are  as  follows  : — "  The  centre  of  the  stock 
is  placed  on  the  front  of  the  neck,  the  ends  are 
passed  in  opposite  directions  round  the  back  of  the 
neck,  brought  in  front,  tied  in  a  reef  knot,  crossed  in 
front  of  this  knot,  and  finally  secured,  as  a  rule,  by 
means  of  a  pin  or  brooch  of  the  safety  or  horse-shoe 
or  fox  pattern.  A  gold  safety  pin  is  often  used.  A 
brooch  pin  is  naturally  safer  than  an  ordinary  pin. 
Nowadays,  hunting  ties  are  nearly  always  made  of 
white  cotton  material  "  [Riding  and  H tinting). 

If  a  collar  is  preferred  to  a  hunting-tie,  it  should  not 
be  too  high,  for  nothing  is  more  uncomfortable  in  riding 
than  a  collar  which  compels  its  wearer  to  preserve  a 
stiff  neck  and  runs  into  her  whenever  she  tries  to  turn 
her  head.  The  best  kind  of  cuffs  are  those  which  have 
button  holes  for  links  or  solitaires  in  the  centre,  as 
they  allow  room  for  thick  gloves  to  be  passed  under 
them.  The  necktie  to  be  worn  is  a  matter  of  choice, 
but  white  and  black  ties  are  always  becoming,  the 
former  for  preference,  as  they  brighten  up  a, dark  habit. 
It  is  always  well  to  abjure  startling  colours  ;  for  the 
dress,  saddlery  and  gear  of  a  horsewoman  should  be 
characterised  by  simplicity  and  neatness.  On  this  point 
I  can  offer  no  sounder  advice  than  that  given  to 
Laertes  by  his  father,  who  said  : 

"  Costly  thy  habit  as  thy  purse  caii  buy, 
But  not  express'd  in  fancy  ;  rich  not  gaudy  ; 
For  the  apparel  oft  proclaims  the  man ;  " 

and  also  the  woman. 


125 


CHAPTER     VI. 
MOUNTING     AND     DISMOUNTING, 

MOUNTING. 

Supposing,  as  is  usually  the  case,  that  there  is  a  groom 
to  hold  the  horse,  and  a  gentleman  to  put  the  lady 
up ;  the  groom,  after  the  reins  are  placed  on  the 
animal's  neck  just  in  front  of  the  withers,  should  stand 
in  front  of  the  horse,  and  should  keep  the  animal's 
head  up  by  holding  the  snaffle  reins,  one  in  each  hand, 
close  to  the  rings.  If  a  double  bridle  be  employed,  as 
is  usually  the  case,  he  should  on  no  account  hold  the 
bit  reins,  lest  an  accident  may  happen  from  the  curb 
hurting  the  horse's  mouth.  If  there  be  no  snaffle,  the 
cheek-pieces  of  the  headstall  of  the  curb  or  Pelham 
should  be  held.  With  a  strange  or  uncertain  tempered 
animal,  it  is  best  for  the  lady  to  approach  him  from  his 
"  left  front,"  and  she  will  do  well  to  speak  kindly  to 
him  and  pat  him  on  the  neck,  for  these  two  forms  of 
conciliation  are  greatly  appreciated  by  horses.  Having 
arrived  alongside  her  mount,  she  should  stand  just 
behind  his  near  foreleg,  close  to,  but  not  touching  him, 
and  facing   to   the  front,  with   her    shoulders  at  right 


126  MOUNTING   AND    DISMOUNTING. 

angles  to  his  side.  She  now  places  her  right  hand,  with 
the  whip  in  it,  on  the  upper  crutch,  and  raises  her  left 
foot  about  twelve  inches  from  the  ground,  while  keeping 
the  leg,  from  knee  to  ankle,  in  a  more  or  less  vertical 
position  (Fig.  67).  The  whip  should  be  held  as  in  this 
illustration,  so  as  to  avoid  alarming  the  horse.  The 
gentleman  who  is  to  put  her  on  her  horse,  places  him- 
self close  to,  and  in  front  of  her,  bends  down,  and 
places  the  palm  of  one  hand  (generally  the  left  one) 
under  the  ball  of  her  left  foot,  while  he  supports  that 
hand  by  putting  the  palm  of  the  other  hand  under  it. 
The  lady  then  places  her  left  hand — with  the  elbow 
turned  out  a  little,  so  as  to  be  able  to  utilise  that  arm 
in  raising  herself — on  his  right  shoulder  (Fig.  68). 

Having  finished  the  "  prepare  to  mount  "  stage,  she 
straightens  her  left  knee  by  lightly  springing  upwards 
off  the  ground  by  means  of  her  right  foot,  and  at  the 
same  time  pressing  on  her  cavalier's  shoulder  so  as  to 
straighten  her  left  arm.  The  moment  he  feels  her 
weight  on  his  hands,  he  should  raise  himself  into  an 
erect  position,  so  as  to  bring  her  on  a  level  with  the 
saddle,  on  which  she  places  herself  by  turning  to  the 
left  while  she  is  being  raised,  and  bearing  on  the 
upper  crutch  with  her  right  hand.  It  will  be  difficult 
for  the  gentleman  to  do  this  lift  properly,  unless  the 
lady  keeps  her  left  knee  and  left  elbow^  straight  during 
the  ascent.  The  gentleman's  task  will  be  greatly 
facilitated  if  he  takes  advantage  of  the  lady's  spring  ; 
but  even  if  he  lets  that  helpful  moment  pass  by,  he  can 
do    the    lift   in  a  satisfactory    manner   with  the    small 


MOUNTING. 


127 


drawback  of  an  extra  expenditure  of  muscular  effort. 
The  fact  of  the  lady  exerting  a  strong  downward  pres- 
sure on  the  gentleman's  left  shoulder,  makes  the  lift 
much  easier  for  him  than  if  he    had  to  do  it   entirely 


Fig.  67. — Foot  raised  for  mounting. 


by  his  arms.  It  is  most  Important  for  the  beginner  to 
understand  this  extremely  simple  method  of  mounting, 
so  that,  if  failure  results,  she  may  know  who  is  in  fault. 
Her    only    serious    error     is    that    of    neglecting    to 


128  MOUNTING    AND    DISMOUNTING. 

straighten  her  knee.  His  crimes  In  this  respect  are 
many.  First,  he  may  catch  hold  of  the  heel  of  her 
boot  in  the  preliminary  stage,  and  will  thus  prevent 
her  utilising  the  play  of  her  left  ankle  joint  in  her 
spring.  Experiment  will  show  that  this  trick  of 
catching  the  heel  hampers  a  lady's  movements  in 
mounting  much  more  than  might  at  first  be  thought 
possible.  Second,  from  knowing  no  better,  or  from  a 
desire  to  show  off  his  strength,  he  may  use  only  one 
hand  to  lift  the  lady,  and  will  then  almost  always  have 
cause  to  regret  his  superfluity  of  self  confidence. 
Third,  he  may  stand  too  far  away  from  her,  and  thus 
bring  her  left  foot  too  much  forward,  in  which  case  It 
will  be  almost  impossible  for  her  to  straighten  her  left 
knee.  Fourth,  he  may  also  prevent  her  from  doing 
this  indispensable  part  of  the  performance,  by  trying  to 
raise  her  before  she  has  put  her  weight  on  his  hands. 
Fifth,  he  may  stand  too  far  away  from  the  side  of  the 
horse,  in  which  case  he  Is  liable  to  throw  her  over  to 
the  off  side  of  the  horse  (as  happened  once  to  me),  by 
giving  her  an  oblique  instead  of  a  vertical  propulsion. 
A  minor  form  of  this  mistake  is  attempting  to  put  the 
lady  on  the  saddle.  Instead  of  raising  her  to  the  height 
at  which  she  can  easily  take  her  seat.  After  a  lady 
has  suffered  from  clumsy  attempts  to  put  her  up,  It  Is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  If  she  regards  the  feat  of 
mounting  as  one  which  requires  some  peculiar  knack 
to  accomplish  ;  and,  as  failure  In  mounting  is  parti- 
cularly ungraceful,  she  naturally  becomes  nervous 
about  attempting  It.      If  she  has  any  doubts  as   to  her 


MOUNTING. 


J  29 


c 
o 


CO 

o 
til 


9 


MOUNTING.  131 

capability  to  mount  easily,  she  might  make  some  pre- 
Hminary  attempts  to  stand  and  support  herself  for  a 
few  seconds  on  a  gentleman's  hands,  with  her  left 
hand  on  his  shoulder  and  her  right  hand  on  the  upper 
crutch.  When  she  finds  that  she  can  do  this  success- 
fully, she  may,  when  her  leg  is  again  straight,  give 
him  a  signal  (or  take  one  from  him)  to  raise  her  to  the 
necessary  height,  so  that  she  may  sit  in  the  saddle.  If 
she  be  very  timid,  she  may  practise  mounting  indoors, 
with  her  right  hand  on  the  top  of  an  upright  piano, 
and  her  left  on  a  gentleman's  shoulder  as  before. 
Although  it  is  usual  for  the  gentleman  to  give  the 
words,  ''  One,  two!  "  as  a  signal  for  her  to  make  her 
spring  and  straighten  her  knee  before  he  raises  her,  no 
such  caution  is  necessary  ;  for  he  will  know,  by  feeling 
her  weight  on  his  hands,  when  she  is  in  a  proper  posi- 
tion to  be  raised. 

Having  arrived  on  the  saddle,  the  lady  places  her 
right  leg  over  the  crutch,  while  her  attendant  puts  her 
left  foot  in  the  stirrup,  adjusts  any  elastic  loops  that 
may  be  present,  and  straightens  her  skirt,  as  may  be 
required.  She  then  takes  up  the  reins.  It  is  advis- 
able for  the  lady  not  to  touch  the  reins  until  she  is 
securely  placed  in  the  saddle  and  is  ready  to  use  them, 
because  the  act  of  placing  her  right  hand  on  the  crutch 
while  holding  the  reins  in  it,  is  liable  to  render  the  horse 
unsteady,  and  the  reins  are  of  no  use  to  her  until  she 
is  firmly  seated. 

If  there  is   only  one  man   to  help  the  lady  to  mount, 

he  should  place  his  left  arm  through   the  snafile   reins, 

9* 


132  MOUNTING    AND    DISMOUNTING. 

so  as  to    prevent  the  animal  from  getting  away  while 
putting  her  up. 

I  think  all  hunting  men  should  know  how  to  put  a 
lady  up,  because  accidents  in  the  field  are  constantly 
occurring,  and  some  poor  Diana  who  has  had  a  tumble 
is  always  grateful  to  any  good  Samaritan  who  renders 
her  this  small  service.  A  well-meaning  sportsman  who 
kindly  offered  me  his  help  on  such  an  occasion,  knew 
so  little  about  the  mysteries  of  side-saddle  riding,  that 
he  attempted  to  give  me  a  "  leg  up,"  as  if  I  were  a  man  ! 

It  w^ould  be  well  for  every  school  where  riding  is 
taught  to  be  supplied  with  a  wooden  horse,  on  which 
pupils  could  learn  the  method  of  getting  into  the 
saddle,  and  would  thus  avoid  becoming  flurried  or 
nervous  when  mounting,  especially  if  the  horse  is  a 
stranger.  Also,  a  dummy  horse  would  be  an  admir- 
able subject  on  which  to  do  preliminary  practice  in 
other  details  of  riding,  such  as  grip,  length  of  stirrup, 
leaning  back  (as  when  going  over  fences),  position  of 
the  hands,  holding  and  handling  the  reins,  etc.  In  this 
way,  beginners  would  learn  what  they  had  to  do,  before 
getting  on  a  horse. 

Mounting  from  the  ground  unaided  depends  for  its 
success  chiefly  on  the  respective  heights  of  horse  and 
rider,  although  a  lady  can  be  helped  considerably  in 
this  attempt  by  letting  out  the  stirrup  leather,  which 
she  will  have  to  shorten  after  climbing  into  the  saddle. 
Unless  a  lady  is  tall  and  athletic,  it  will  be  almost 
impossible  for  her  to  perform  this  feat  on  a  full-sized 
horse.      This  method  of  mounting  should,  as  a  rule,  be 


MOUNTING. 


13, 


avoided,  because,  apart  from  its  not  being  very  grace- 
ful, it  is  apt  to  disarrange  the  position  of  the  saddle, 
by  pulling   it   to  the  near  side,  and  the  animal  would 


Fig.  69.— Dismounting  without  help. 

then  be  liable  to  get  a  sore  back,  especially  if  he  had 
to  go  through  a  long  day  with  hounds. 

Mountino  from  a  block,  low  wall,  or  other  suitable 
object,  may  be  done  without  help,  if  the  animal  is 
''  confidential  "  and  accustomed  to  the  work.      If  a  man 


134  MOUNTING   AND    DISMOUNTING. 

be  present,  he  may  stand  In  front  of  the  horse  and 
hold  him  in  the  way  already  described  for  the  groom  to 
do  (page  125).  If  the  animal  shows  unwillingness  to  ap- 
proach the  mounting-block,  the  man  should  hold  the  off 
cheek-piece  of  the  headstall  of  the  bridle  with  his  right 
hand,  and,  with  the  flat  of  his  left  hand,  prevent  the 
horse  from  sw^inging  his  hind  quarters  out.  When  the 
horse  is  sufficiently  close,  the  lady  should  take  the  whip 
and  reins  in  her  left  hand,  put  her  left  foot  in  the 
stirrup,  take  the  upper  crutch  with  her  left  hand  and 
the  cantle  with  the  right,  and  spring  lightly  between 
both  hands  into  the  saddle.  The  right  leg  is  then  put 
over  the  upper  crutch  and  the  skirt  arranged. 

DISMOUNTING, 

in  the  days  of  voluminous  skirts,  was  a  far  more 
serious  business  than  it  is  now  ;  for  the  '' knee  recess  " 
had  to  be  carefullv  freed  from  the  crutches  of  the 
saddle,  and  the  skirt  gathered  up  in  the  hands  of  the 
rider,  so  that  she  might  not  tread  on  it.  Riding- 
women  of  to-day  generally  prefer  to  dismount  without 
assistance,  for  they  are  no  longer  hampered  with  an  early 
Victorian  skirt.  While  a  man  holds  the  horse,  the 
rider  releases  her  foot  from  the  stirrup  and  loop, 
removes  her  right  leg  from  the  crutch,  and  placing  her 
right  hand  on  it  and  her  left  hand  on  the  leaping  head 
to  steady  herself  (Fig.  69),  springs  lightly  to  the 
ground.  If  help  is  required  from  a  male  attendant, 
it  is  best  for  him  to  offer  his  right  arm,  on  which 
the  rider  places  her  left  hand  (Fig.  70),  as  she  leaves 


DISMOUNTING. 


135 


the  saddle.  If  there  is  only  one  man  present,  he  should 
take  the  snaffle  reins  in  his  left  hand,  before  offering 
his  right  arm  to  the  lady.  Another  plan  is  for  the  lady 
to  give  her  hands  to  the    man  who  assists  her  to  dis- 


Fig.  70. — Dismounting  with  help. 

mount,  but  that  would  not  be  pleasant  in  the  case  of  an 
ordinary  groom.  An  old-fashioned  way  of  helping 
a  lady  to  dismount,  was  to  put  an  arm  round  her  waist 
and  lift  her  from  the  saddle  ! 


136 


CHAPTER    VII. 
HOW  TO  HOLD  THE  REINS. 

Principles — Holding  Single  Reins  in  Both  Hands — Holding  Single  Reins  in 
One  Hand — Holding  Double  Reins  in  Both  Hands — Holding  Double  Reins 
in  One  Hand — Shortening  the  Reins — Military  Method  of  Holding  the 
Reins — -Respective  Merits  of  One-Handed  and  Two-Handed  Riding. 

As  there  Is  but  little  difference  between  the  respective 
ways  men  and  women  should  use  their  reins,  I  have 
taken  the  most  of  this  chapter  from  Riding  and 
Htmting. 

PRINCIPLES. 

The  following  are  the  usual  principles  to  be  observed 
in  holding  the  reins  : — 

1.  A  secure  grip  of  the  reins  should  be  maintained, 
with  as  little  stiffness  as  possible,  because  stiffness 
Implies  continued  muscular  contraction,  and  consequent 
defective  manipulation  from  fatigue. 

2.  When  both  hands  are  used,  we  should  hold  the 
reins  so  that  we  can  freely  use  our  hands,  either 
separately  or  together,  in  any  required  direction. 

3.  When  both  hands  are  used,  the  manner  of  hold- 


HOLDING  SINGLE  REINS  IN  BOTH  HANDS.     137 

ing  the  reins  by  one  hand  should  be  the  same  as  that 
by  the  other,  so  that  the  feeHng  of  the  hands  on  the 
reins  may  be  the  same  on  both  sides 

4.  When  a  horse  which  has  an  "even"  mouth  is 
going  in  a  straight  direction,  the  action  of  one  rein 
should  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  other  rein. 


Fig.  71. — A  rein  in  each  hand. 


HOLDING    SINGLE    REINS    IN    BOTH    HANDS. 

Pass  the  near  rein  between  the  little  finger  and  the 
ring  finger  of  the  left  hand,  bring  it  out  between  the 
forefinger  and  thumb,  and  take  up  the  off  rein  in  the 
same  manner  in  the  right  hand  (Fig.  71).      The  reins 


138 


HOW    TO    HOLD    THE    REINS. 


thus  held  will  be  In  the  best  position  for  general  use, 
especially  as  the  hands  can  then  be  readily  separated, 


Fig.  72. — Single  reins  crossed  in  one  hand. 

If    we   wish    to    turn    the    horse    to    one    side   or    the 
other. 


B'ig.  73. — Single  reins  crossed  in  one  hand. 
HOLDING    SINGLE    REINS    IN    ONE    HAND. 

While   holding   the  reins   as  In    Fig.    71,    pass  the 
oft  rein  Into  the  left  hand  between  Its  forefinger  and 


HOLDING   SINGLE   REINS    IN    ONE    HAND.     139 

thumb,  and  across  the  portion  of  the  near  rein  that  is 
in  the  pahn  of  the  left  hand  (Fig.  72).  On  letting 
go  the  off  rein  with  the  right  hand,  we  close  the 
fingers  of  the  left  hand,  turn  the  left  hand  inwards, 
and    let    it    fall    from    the    wrist    in    an    easy    manner 


Fig.  74. — Double  reins  held  separately  in  two  hands. 

(Fig.  73).  When  holding  the  reins  in  one  hand, 
we  should  not  keep  the  knuckles  in  a  vertical  position, 
because,  by  doing  so,  one  rein  will  come  up  higher  on 
the  horse's  neck  than  the  other  rein.  On  the  contrary, 
both  in  one-handed  and  two-handed  riding,  the  knuckles 
should  be  held  more  or  less  horizontally,  as  they  would 


140 


HOW   TO    HOLD    THE    REINS. 


be  when  the  hand  is  allowed  to  fall   without   stiffness 
from  the  wrist. 

Whether  the  reins  are  held  in  one  hand  or  in  two, 
we  should  avoid  "rounding  the  wrists,"'  not  only  on 
account  of  the  consequent  stiffness  Imparted  to  these 
joints,  but  also  because  that  action  tends  to  make  us 
carry  the  elbows   outwards,    and   thus   diminishes   the 


i 


Fig.   75- — Holding  double  reins  crossed  in  one  hand. 

force   which  the  arms  are  capable  of  exerting  on  the 
reins. 


HOLDING    DOUBLE    REINS    IN    BOTH    HANDS. 

We  may  hold  double  reins  in  both  hands  in  the 
same  way  as  we  hold  single  reins,  except  that  the 
little  fingers  separate  the  reins  on  each  respective  side 
(Fig.  74).  The  question  as  to  which  rein  should 
be  on  the  outside   may  be  decided  by  the   amount  of 


HOLDING  DOUBLE  RELXS  L\  ONE  HAND.   141 

control  which  is  required  to  be  obtained  over  the 
horse  ;  because,  by  the  rotation  of  the  hand,  we  can 
work  the  outward  rein  more  effectively  than  the  inward 
rein.  If  the  snaffle  is  to  be  the  predominant  bit,  its 
reins  should  be  on  the  outside,  and  the  curb-reins  slack. 

HOLDING    DOUBLE    REINS    IN    ONE    HAND. 

The  forefinger  of  the  left   hand  separates   the   two 


Fig.    76. — Double  reins  in  left  hand  :  one  crossed,  the  other  hooked 

up  on  middle  finger. 

off  reins,  the  little  finger  divides  the  two  near  ones, 
and  the  reins  are  crossed  in  the  palm  of  the  hand  (Fig. 
75),  as  with  single  reins.  It  is  convenient  to  have 
the  reins  on  which  we  want  to  have  the  stronger  pull 
on  the  outside.  If  the  rider  wishes  to  use  only  one 
rein,  she  may  hold  it  crossed  in  her  hand,  and  may 
hook  up  the  other  on  the  middle  finger,  and  let  it  loose 
(Fig.  76),  or  draw  it  up  to  a  greater  or  less  extent. 


142 


HOW    TO    HOLD    THE    REINS. 


SHORTENING    THE    REINS. 

In  shortening  the  reins  we  should  alter  the  feeling 
on  them  as  little  as  possible,  and  should  carefully  keep 
them  at  the  same  length,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with 
the  horse's  mouth.  If  a  rein  is  in  each  hand  (Fig.  71), 
we  had  best  pass  the  off  rein  into  the  left  hand  (Fig. 
72)  ;  close  the  left  hand  on  both  reins  (Fig.  J  t^)  ;  slip 
the  right  hand  forward  on  the  off  rein  till  the  proper 
length   is   obtained  ;    take   up  both  reins  in  the  right 


Fig.   jj. — Reins  held  in  one  hand  in  military  fashion. 

hand  ;  let  go  the  slack  of  the  reins  with  the  left  hand  ; 
take  up  the  near  rein  with  the  left  hand  ;  and  separate 
the  hands. 

If  the  reins  are  held  in  one  hand  (the  left,  for  in- 
stance), take  them  up  in  the  right  hand  ;  slip  the  left 
hand  forward  on  the  near  rein  ;  and,  when  the  desired 
length  is  obtained,  take  up  both  reins  with  the  left 
hand. 


MILITARY    METHOD    OF    HOLDING    THE    REINS. 

In   almost  all    riding    schools,    ladies    are    taught  to 
hold  the  reins  in   military   fashion,    which  enacts  that 


MILITARY    METHOD. 


143 


they  should  be  held  In  the  left  hand,  with  the  little 
finger  dividing  them,  and  their  ends  brought  up 
between  the  finger  and  thumb  (Fig.  ^']).  Thus, 
the  hold  on  the  reins  Is  chiefly  maintained  by  the 
lateral  pressure  of  the  fingers  and  by  the  downward 
pressure    of   the    thumb    on    them.       As    the   muscles 


Fig.   78. — Oft  rein  taken  up  by  right  hand  from  position  shown  in  Fig.  77. 


which  draw  the  fingers  laterally  together,  are  far 
weaker  than  the  muscles  which  cause  the  hand  to 
become  clenched,  it  follows  that  this  method  of  hold- 
ing the  reins  is  much  less  secure  and  a  good  deal 
more  tiring  than  the  crossed  plan  (Fig.  ']^,  which 
has    the    further    advantage    of    utilising    the    friction 


144  HOW    TO    HOLD    THE    REINS 

between  the  opposing  surfaces  of  leather.  This 
method  is  also  unsuitable  for  two-handed  ridino-  be- 
cause  it  violates  the  principle  laid  down  on  pages  136 
and  137,  that  the  manner  of  holding  the  reins  by 
one  hand  should  be  the  same  as  that  by  the  other 
hand  (compare  Figs.  71  and  yS). 

RESPECTIVE    MERITS    OF    ONE-HANDED    AND    TWO-HANDED 

RIDING. 

All  good  horsewomen,  especially  when  out  hunting, 
ride  wuth  both  hands  on  the  reins,  because,  even  with 
the  quietest  animal,  the  two  hands  may  be  needed  for 
control  or  guidance.  Besides,  an  even  feeling  on  the 
reins  when  they  are  held  in  one  hand,  can  be  main- 
tained only  by  keeping  the  hand  in  the  centre-line  of 
the  horse  s  body,  which  is  naturally  a  more  or  less 
irksome  task  for  the  rider.  With  only  one  hand  on 
the  reins,  the  rider's  available  strength  is  reduced  by 
nearly  one-half,  and  the  reins  have  to  be  held  much 
shorter  than  if  both  hands  were  on  them.  One- 
handed  riding  is  all  right  for  military  men,  who  have 
to  wield  a  sword  or  lance,  and  polo  players,  who 
have  to  use  a  polo-stick,  but  it  is  ridiculous  for  ladies. 


145 


CHAPTER   VIII. 
THE  SEAT. 

Theory  of  the  Seat — Practical  Details. 
THEORY     OF     THE     SEAT. 

The  best  seat  for  all  practical  purposes  is  evidently  one 
which  affords  security  and  comfort  to  the  rider  and 
freedom  from  injury  to  the  horse.  The  lady  should 
sit  (not  lean)  forward  in  the  saddle,  so  as  to  get  a 
good  grip  of  the  crutches  ;  and  should  bring  her  seat 
well  under  her  ("sit  well  into  the  saddle"),  in  order  to 
bring  the  centre  of  gravity  of  her  body  well  back,  as 
regards  her  base  of  support,  and  thus  to  increase  her 
stability,  which  will  depend  almost  entirely  on  her 
power  to  resist  forward  propulsion,  when  the  horse 
suddenly  stops  or  swerves  to  the  left.  Her  hold  of 
the  reins  will  in  any  case  prevent  her  from  toppling 
backwards  over  the  animal's  tail,  in  the  event  of  his 
making  an  unexpected  movement  forward  from  the 
halt,  or  suddenly  increasing  his  speed  when  in  motion. 
The  faulty  practice  of  riding  the  crutches,  instead  of 
sitting  down  in  the  saddle,    brings   the  weight  forward, 

lO 


146  THE    SEAT. 

and   places   the   lady  in   the  best   possible   position   to 

fall  off. 

The  greater  difficulty  which  a  rider  has  in  keeping 
her  seat  when  her  mount  abruptly  swerves  to  the  left, 
than  when  he  goes  to  the  right,  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
in  the  former  case,  the  upper  crutch  is  drawn  away  from 
the  right  thigh  ;  but  in  the  latter  case,  it  forms  a  more 
or  less  effective  obstacle  to  the  forward  movement  of 
the  right  thigh,  and  thus  helps  the  rider  to  retain  her 
seat.  To  explain  this  subject  more  fully,  I  may  point 
out,  that  if  a  person  is  standing  on  the  foot-board  of 
the  right  side  of  a  rapidly  moving  train  which  suddenly 
turns  to  the  left,  he  or  she  would  be  far  more  inclined 
to  fall  off,  than  if  a  similar  change  of  direction  had  been 
made  to  the  right,  in  both  of  which  instances  the  side 
of  the  train  would  play  the  part  of  the  upper  crutch. 
The  fact  that  the  lower  part  of  the  rider's  right  leg 
rests  against  the  horse's  near  shoulder,  as  in  Fig.  79, 
will  materially  help  her  in  keeping  her  seat,  in  the 
event  of  an  abrupt  swerve  to  the  left. 

The  side  position  of  the  seat,  combined  with  the  fact 
that  the  head  has  to  be  kept  more  or  less  in  the 
direction  the  horse  is  proceeding,  causes  more  weight 
to  be  placed  on  the  near  side  than  on  the  off. 
Although  the  rider  cannot  entirely  remove  this  dis- 
advantage, she  may  lessen  this  unequal  distribution  of 
weight,  (i)  by  avoiding  the  use  of  too  long  a  stirrup 
leather,  for  the  longer  it  is,  the  more  inclined  will  she 
be  to  bring  her  weight  to  the  near  side,  in  order  to 
obtain  the  assistance  of  her  stirrup  ;    (2)   by  sitting  a 


THEORY    OF   THE   SEAT. 


147 


little  over  on  the  off  side,  so  as  to  place  her  weight  as 
much  as  possible  on  the  middle  line  of  the  seat  of  the 
saddle,  namely,  over  the  backbone  of  the  horse  ;  and  (3), 
as  already  pointed  out  (p.  34),  by  having  the  leaping 
head  close  to  the  upper  crutch,  in  order  to  meet 
the   second  requirement,   she   should    rest    her  weight 


Fig.  79. — Position  of  rider's  legs  at  the  walk. 

on  her  right  leg,  which  in  any  case  will  have  less 
fatigue  to  bear  than  the  left  one.  Putting  the  weight  on 
the  right  leg  has  the  further  advantage  of  lessening  the 
tendency  of  the  right  shoulder  to  go  forward,  and  of 
diminishing  the  pressure  of  the  left  foot  on  the  stirrup. 
The  preponderance  of  weight  on  the  left  side  of 
the  saddle  is  liable  to  cause  undue  pressure  on  the 
off    side  of  the    withers,   and  also,   though  to  a  lesser 


10 


* 


148  THE    SEAT. 

extent,  on  the  off  side  of  the  backbone,  under  the 
cantle  of  the  saddle,  with  the  result  that  ladies'  horses 
frequently  get  sore  backs  at  these  places.  As  this 
unequal  distribution  of  weight  on  the  near  side  varies 
more  or  less  at  each  stride  of  the  horse  ;  the  saddle 
has  a  strong  inclination,  during  movement,  to  keep 
working  from  one  side  to  the  other,  and  consequently, 
in  order  to  check  this  hurtful  tendency,  a  lady's  saddle 
has  to  be  girthed  up  much  tighter  than  a  man's  saddle, 
and  also  to  be  provided  with  a  balance  strap  (p.  53). 

The  only  means  by  which  the  rider  can  maintain  her 
position  in  the  saddle  are  balance  and  grip,  both  of 
which  are  accomplished  by  muscular  action,  though  in 
different  ways.  What  is  popularly  known  as  "grip," 
is  effected  by  continued  muscular  contraction,  which 
speedily  gives  rise  to  fatigue,  and  consequently  can  be 
kept  up  for  only  a  comparatively  short  time.  The 
balance  required  for  holding  the  body  more  or  less  erect, 
as  in  walking,  standing  and  sitting,  is,  on  the  contrary, 
preserved  by  the  alternate  contraction  and  relaxation  of 
a  large  number  of  muscles,  the  work  of  which,  being- 
intermittent  and  more  or  less  evenly  distributed,  can  be 
maintained  for  a  long  period  without  fatigue.  It  is 
therefore  evident  that  a  lady  should  ride  as  much  as 
possible  by  balance,  and  that  she  should  use  grip  only 
when  its  aid  is  demanded  for  keeping  her  secure  in  the 
saddle.  It  is  obvious  that  grip  is  the  riding  function  of 
the  legs  ;  and  balance,  that  of  the  body.  As  grip  has 
generally  to  be  put  in  action  at  a  moment's  notice,  the 
legs   should  be  kept    in  such  a   position  as   to   enable 


THEORY    OF   THE    SEAT.  i49 

them  to  apply  the  necessary  grip  with  promptness  and 
precision.  Hence  the  rider  should  not  move  about  in 
the  saddle,  as  some  are  inclined  to  do,  in  the  attempt 
to   "  sit  back  "  when  going  over  a  fence. 

While  keeping  the  legs  in  a  uniform  position,  the 
rider  will  obtain  all  the  balance  she  needs,  by  the  play 
of  her  hip  joints  and  by  that  of  the  joints  of  the  body 
above  them,  and  will  thus  be  enabled  to  sit  erect,  lean 
back  or  forward,  or  bring  her  weight  to  one  side  or 
the  other,  as  may  be  required. 

Grip  from  the  left  leg  is  obtained  by  pressure 
against  the  leaping  head,  which  can  be  effected  either 
by  certain  muscles  of  the  thigh  or  by  those  of  the  ankle 
joint.  The  amount  of  pressure  which  can  be  obtained 
by  the  former  method  is  far  less  than  by  the  latter,  for 
which  a  short  stirrup  leather  is  necessary.  The  com- 
parative feebleness  of  this  action  of  the  thigh  muscles 
can  be  readily  seen  by  the  small  resistance  which  they 
can  make  against  downward  pressure,  when  the  knee 
is  raised  with  the  foot  off  the  ground.  If,  however,  the 
foot  is  on  the  ground,  the  muscles  which  straighten  the 
ankle  joint  will  enable  the  knee  to  be  raised,  even 
against  strong  downward  pressure.  !  t  might  be  obj  ected 
to  this  mode  of  obtaining  grip,  that  the  powerful  pres- 
sure thus  exerted  on  the  stirrup  iron,  would  cause 
a  downward  pull  on  the  (near)  left  side,  which  is, 
however,  counterbalanced  by  the  upward  pressure  of 
the. left  leg  on  the  leaping  head,  and  consequently  it 
has  no  displacing  effect  on  the  saddle.  It  is  evident 
that  this  action  of  the   ankle  joint  can   be  performed 


I50  THE    SEAT. 

effectively,  only  when  the  ball  of  the  foot  rests  on  the 
stirrup.  If  the  foot  is  put  ''home,"  the  ankle  joint  will 
have  little  or  no  play.  When  using  the  leaping  head, 
we  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  action  of  the  muscles 
which  straighten  the  ankle  joint,  should  be  independent 
of  the  body.  If  this  condition  is  not  observed,  the 
tendency  will  be  to  put  undue  w^eight  on  the  stirrup, 
and  to  bring  the  body  forward. 

It  is  evident  that  placing  weight  on  the  stirrup, 
without  at  the  same  time  exerting  counterbalancing 
pressure  against  the  leaping  head,  will  not  only  put 
undue  weight  on  the  near  side,  but  will  also  bring  the 
body  forward. 

The  right  leg  can  help  in  obtaining  grip,  either  by 
bending  the  knee  and  bringing  the  calf  of  the  leg 
round  the  upper  crutch,  or  by  lateral  pressure  of  the 
knee  ao-ainst  that  crutch.  The  former  method  is 
entirely  wrong,  because  it  cannot  be  fully  carried  out, 
except  by  bringing  the  body  forward,*  which  action  is 

*  The  muscles  of  our  limbs  are  attached  at  each  end  to  bones,  between  which 
there  are  one  or  more  joints  ;  and  they  act  l)y  their  power  of  contraction,  which 
enables  them  to  become  shortened  to  about  two-thirds  of  their  length.  The  full 
effect  of  this  contraction  can  be  obtained  by  a  muscle  only  when  its  points  of 
attachment  are  separated  to  their  utmost  extent,  and  it  becomes  diminished  in 
proportion  as  the  distance  between  them  is  shortened  by  the  bending  of  the  inter- 
mediate joint  or  joints,  up  to  a  length  equal  to  that  of  the  muscle  in  a  fully 
contracted  state,  at  which  limit  the  muscle  is  out  of  "play.''  The  muscles 
which  bend  the  knee  are  attached,  at  one  end,  to  the  back  of  the  shin  bone, 
close  to  the  knee  ;  and  at  the  other  extremity,  to  the  end  of  the  ischium  (lower 
part  of  the  pelvis),  which  is  below  the  hip  joints.  Consequently,  the  more  the 
knee  is  bent  and  the  more  the  upper  part  of  the  body  is  drawn  back  by  the  play 
of  the  hip  joints,  the  nearer  are  the  opposite  points  of  attachment  of  these  respec- 
tive muscles  brought  together,  and  the  less  power  will  they  have  to  hook  back 
the  knee.  Hence  the  more  a  lady  leans  back,  when  going  over  a  fence  for  in- 
stance, the  less  firmly  will  she  be  able  to  hook  her  leg  round  the   upper  crutch. 


THEORY    OF    THE    SEAT. 


lU 


incompatible   with  firmness  ot   seat,   when  going  over 
fences,  or  when  the  horse  makes  any  abrupt  and  discon- 


Fig.  80.— Hooked  back  leg,  the  direction  of  the  pressure  of  which  is 
shown  by  the  fore  finger  of  the  left  hand. 

certing  movement.  This  "hooked-back"  seat  also 
predisposes  a  lady  to  fall  over  the  off  shoulder  of  an 

Therefore,  ladies  who  adopt  this  hooked-back  seat,  are  invariably  prompted  by 
the  requirements  of  this  position,  to  bend  forward,  and  have  more  or  less 
difficulty  in  bringing  the  upper  part  of  the  body  back. 


152  THE    SEAT. 

animal  which  suddenly  swerves  to  the  near  side  ;  the 
reason  being  that  in  such  a  case,  the  upper  crutch  acts 
as  the  pivot  of  revolution.  On  account  of  causing  the 
weight  to  be  brought  forward,  this  hooked-back  style 
also  tends  to  make  her  bump  up  and  down  in  her 
saddle.  The  lateral  method,  which  is  effected  by  the 
inward  rotation  of  the  right  thigh,  is  free  from  the  fore- 
going objections  ;  and  by  causing  the  lower  part  of  the 
right  leg  to  be  placed  against  the  horse's  shoulder,  it 
affords  the  rider  valuable  indications  of  the  animal's 
movements.  Also,  as  the  lateral  pressure  is  as  nearly 
as  practicable  in  a  direction  opposite  to  that  of  the 
pressure  of  the  left  leg  against  the  leaping  head  ;  it  will 
act  to  the  best  advantage,  and  it  will  allow  the  body 
full  freedom  to  be  drawn  back  by  the  play  of  the  hip 
joints.  The  pressure  of  the  hooked-back  leg  is,  on  the 
contrary,  nearly  at  right  angles  to  that  of  the  left  leg 
(Fig.  80),  and  consequently  it  affords  very  little  help 
in  the  attainment  of  grip. 

The  hooked-back  style  of  riding  induces  fatigue  by 
continued  muscular  contraction,  and  is  a  fertile  cause 
of  ladies  becoming  cut  under  the  right  knee,  which 
fact  is  fully  proved  by  the  numerous  devices  w^hich 
have  been  brought  out  by  saddlers  with  the  view  of 
obviating  this  injury. 

It  is  easy  to  prove  by  experiment,  that  when  we  sit 
in  an  unconstrained  position  on  a  chair  or  saddle  for 
instance,  the  direction  of  our  shoulders  will  be  at 
right  angles  to  that  of  our  legs,  or^  more  correctly 
speaking,  at  right  angles  to  a  line  bisecting  the  angle 


THEORY    OF   THE   SEAT. 


153 


formed  bv  our  legs.  Hence,  when  riding,  we  cannot 
continue  to  sit  absolutely  "square"  (having  our 
shoulders  at  right  angles  to  the  direction  of  our  mount) 
without  keeping  our  body  in  a  stiff  position,  which  in  a 
short  time  will  be  productive  of  discomfort  and  fatigue. 


Fig.  81. — Seat  at  the  walk. 

Although  the  maintenance  of  a  twisted  position  of  the 
body  to  the  right  is  incompatible  with  ease,  no  discom- 
fort will  arise  from  looking  more  or  less  straight  to  the 
front,  because  the  muscles  which  regulate  the  direction 
of  the  neck  and  eyes  are  gifted  with  great  mobility, 
and  their  respective  periods  of  contraction  and  relax- 


154  THE    SEAT. 

ation  are  comparatively  short,  when  we  are  looking  to 
the  front.  Even  when  walking  at  ease,  the  direction  of 
the  shoulders,  which  alters  at  every  step,  in  no  way 
affects  that  of  our  line  of  sight  ;  and  it  certainly  would 
not  do  so,  when  we  are  riding.  The  continued  main- 
tenance of  a  perfectly  square  seat  entails  so  much 
muscular  rigidity,  that  it  Is  unsuitable  for  'cross-country 
work,  or  for  the  riding  of  ''  difficult  "  horses.  In  any 
case,  It  causes  the  body  to  assume  a  twisted  and  there- 
fore an  unnatural  position  ;  because  the  fact  of  the 
right  hip  joint  being  more  advanced  than  the  left  one, 
will  prevent  the  lower  and  posterior  part  of  the  trunk 
(the  pelvis)  from  being  parallel,  as  it  ought  to  be,  with 
the  line  connecting  the  shoulders.  To  facilitate  the 
attainment  of  a  "square  seat,"  some  saddlers  incline 
the  upper  crutch  a  good  deal  towards  the  off  side, 
and  thus  curtail  the  space  between  that  crutch 
and  the  near  side  of  the  horse's  shoulder  and  neck 
so  much,  that  the  rider  is  unable  to  get  her  right 
leg  Into  proper  position,  and  Is  consequently  obliged  to 
"  hook  it  back."  I  need  hardly  say  that  such  saddles 
do  not  suit  good  horsewomen. 

An  absurd  fallacy  of  some  of  the  ''  square  seat ' 
school  Is  that  the  right  thigh  (from  hip  joint  to  knee) 
should  be  kept  parallel  to  the  horse's  backbone,  a 
position  which  would  put  a  great  deal  more  weight  on 
the  near  side  of  the  saddle  than  on  the  off,  and  would 
consequently  be  liable  to  give  the  horse  a  sore  back. 
On  the  contrary,  the  even  distribution  of  the  rider's 
weight    Is    an    essential    condition    of   comfort    to    the 


THEORY    OF   THE    SEAT. 


155 


animal  and  of  security  of  seat  to  the  rider,  and  is 
of  infinitely  greater  importance  than  the  attainment 
of  a  conventional  and  unnatural  attitude. 


Fig.  82. —Length  of  stirrup. 


The  majority  of  riding-masters  are  such  admirers  of 
the  '' square  seat,"  that  when- giving  a  lady  her  first 
few  lessons,  they  will  as  a  rule  keep  constantly  telling 


156  THE   SEAT. 

her  to  keep  her  right  shoulder  back,  which  she  cannot 
do  without  twisting  and  stiffening  her  body. 

For  practical  requirements,  as  out  hunting  or  on  a 
long  journey,  the  seat  should  be  free  from  all  constraint 
and  rigidity,  so  that  it  can  be  maintained  without 
undue  fatigue  for  several  hours,  during  which  time  the 
rider  should  be  able  at  any  moment  to  utilise  the  grip 
of  her  legs  with  promptness,  precision  and  strength.  A 
lady,  with  a  good  seat  and  properly  made  saddle,  will 
ride  quite  square  enough  (Fig.  8i)  to  avoid  any  lack 
of  elegance  in  her  appearance  without  having  to  adopt 
a  conventional  twist. 

PRACTICAL    DETAILS. 

The  first  thing  for  a  rider  to  do  is  to  place  herself  in 
a  thoroughly  comfortable  position  on  the  saddle.  She 
should  sit  well  down  in  it,  in  the  same  manner  as  she 
would  sit  on  a  chair  in  which  she  wished  to  lean  back, 
and  would  thus  get  her  seat  well  under  her,  and  would 
be  able  to  obtain,  when  required,  a  strong  grip  of  the 
crutches.  In  this  position  she  will  be  able  to  increase 
her  stability  by  bringing  her  shoulders  back,  which 
she  could  not  do  with  the  same  facility,  if,  instead  of 
leaning  back,  she  sat  back.  In  order  to  see  where  she 
is  going,  she  should  sit  more  or  less  erect.  Her  left 
foot  should  be  placed  in  the  stirrup  only  as  far  as  the 
ball  of  the  foot,  so  as  to  allow  the  ankle  joint  full  play. 
The  stirrup  leather  should  be  long  enough  to  enable 
the  left  thigh  to  clear  the  leaping  head,  when  the  lady 
rises  at  the  trot  ;  and  short  enough  for  it  to  exert  full 


PRACTICAL    DETAILS. 


157 


pressure  against  the  leaping  head,  by  the  action  of  the 
ankle  joint.  A  correct  compromise  between  these  two 
opposing  conditions  is  obtained  when  the  length  of  the 
leather  will  just  allow  the  flat  of  the  hand  to  be  easily- 
placed  between  the  leg  and  the  leaping  head  (Fig.  82). 


.Fig.  83. — Correct  position  of  legs. 


The  rider  should  obtain  her  grip  of  the  leaping  head 
just  above  the  point  of  the  left  knee,  as  show^n  in 
Fig.  S;2^  ;  and  by  rotating  the  right  thigh  inwards,  she 
should  press  the  flat  of  that  knee  against  the  upper 
crutch,  as  if  she  were  trying  to  bring  her  two  knees 
together.  While  gripping  in  the  manner  described, 
the  portion  of  the  right  leg  w^hich   is  below  the  knee, 


158 


THE    SEAT. 


should  rest  In  an  easy  position  against  the  horse's  near 
shoulder,  as  in  Fig.   79. 

When  the  beginner  has  learned  how  to  sit  in  the 
saddle,  she  should  practise  leaning  back,  which  she 
can  best  do  by  gripping  the  crutches,  while  keep- 
ing her  legs  in  proper  position  (Fig.  84),  and  leaning- 


Fig.  84. — Leaning  l)ack. 

her  body  back  until  she  can  almost  touch  the  horse's 
croup.  When  doing  this  for  the  first  few  times,  her 
teacher  should  support  her,  in  order  to  give  her  con- 
fidence, and  the  groom,  if  jiecessary,  should  hold  the 
horse,  which  should  of  course  be  a  quiet  animal.  The 
object  of  this  practice  is  to  show  her  that  the  move- 
ments of  her  body  are  entirely  independent  of  her  grip 
of  the  crutches,  and   that   the   forward  and  backward 


PRACTICAL   DETAILS.  159 

motion  of  her  body  is  regulated  by  the  action  of  her 
hip  joints,  and  not  by  altering  her  seat,  which  should 
remain  fixed,  and,  as  it  were,  glued  to  the  saddle,  at 
the  walk,  canter,  gallop  and  jump  ;  the  trot  being  the 
only  movement  at  which  she  should  rise.  Having 
learned  the  meaning  of  grip  and  leaning  back,  she 
can  take  a  snaffle  rein  in  each  hand,  as  in  Fig.  71, 
while  keeping  her  hands  low  and  well  apart  ;  she  can 
then  ''feel"  the  horse's  mouth  by  drawing  her  hands 
towards  her  through  a  distance  of  a  few  inches,  and 
then  keeping  them  in  a  fixed  position. 


i6o 


CHAPTER     IX. 
HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND   SPUR. 

HANDS. 

Nearly  every  writer  on  the  subject  of  riding  is  of 
opinion  that  "good  hands"  are  inborn  and  cannot  be 
acquired.  This  may  be  so,  but  the  worst  of  hands 
may  be  greatly  improved  by  good  teaching  and  prac- 
tice. Continental  horsemen  do  not,  as  a  rule,  learn 
how  to  ride  across  country,  but  the  majority  of  them 
devote  much  study  to  the  various  methods  of  bitting 
and  handling  horses,  and,  as  far  as  hacking  Is  con- 
cerned, their  horses  are  better  broken  and  better 
handled  than  they  are  in  this  country.  I  am  not 
alluding  to  the  question  of  seat,  as  I  think  Britons, 
and  especially  our  Colonial  cousins,  can  beat  them  on 
that  point  ;'  but  It  is  evident,  as  can  be  seen  any  day 
and  In  any  hunting  field,  that  more  study  should  be 
devoted  to  the  acquirement  of  good  hands.  A  course 
of  school  riding,  especially  on  a  made  ''school"  horse, 
which  is  a  very  light-mouthed  animal,  would  greatly 
lessen  the  clumsiness  of  heavy  hands  ;  or,  If  such 
instruction  were  unobtainable,  good  practice  might  be 


HANDS.  i6i 

had  on  a  young  horse  which  had  been  carefully  broken 
by  a  competent  horseman.  No  young  horse  will  pull 
until  he  is  taught  to  do  so  by  bad  handling,  and  a  lady 
who  wishes  to  improve  her  hands  might  ride  a  young 
animal,  in  the  company  of  an  old  steady  horse,  and 
ascertain  in  this  way  what  the  natural  condition  of  a 
horse's  mouth  really  is  and  how  easily  it  may  be  con- 
trolled. I  do  not  think  that  many  ladies  have  heavy 
hands  with  horses — their  chief  fault  lies  in  their  want 
of  control  over  their  mounts.  Many  ride  with  the 
reins  so  loose  that  their  horses  get  out  of  hand  and 
go  in  an  uncollected  manner,  and  accidents  not  unfre- 
quently  occur  from  this  cause.  As  horses  which  are  not 
well  in  hand  in  the  hunting  field  will,  sooner  or  later, 
bring  their  riders  either  to  grief  or  to  disgrace, 
this  slipshod  method  of  handling  should  be  avoided. 
Although  the  grip  which  a  lady  obtains  in  a  side-saddle 
should  render  her  entirely  independent  of  the  reins  as 
a  means  of  support,  she  is  handicapped  by  being 
unable  to  lower  her  hands  to  the  same  extent  as  a 
man.  I  have  found  that  with  horses  which  carry  their 
heads  too  high,  and  throw  them  up  if  the  rider  tries 
to  lower  them,  a  standing  martingale  attached  to  the 
rings  of  the  snaffle  affords  considerable  help  in  obtain- 
ing perfect  control,  especially  with  young  horses.  But 
I  would  not  recommend  a  lady  to  use  a  standing  mar- 
tingale with  a  horse  which  has  not  previously  been 
accustomed  to  it,  nor  indeed  at  all,  unless  she  rides 
chiefly  on  the  snaflie  ;  for  although  it  is  perfectly  safe 
to  use  the  curb  with  a  standing  martingale  in  steadying 

I  [ 


i62  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

and  collecting  a  horse,  It  would  be  highly  dangerous 
to  touch  it  when  the  animal  is  jumping.  The  majority 
of  riding  men  regard  the  standing  martingale  as  dan- 
gerous— and  rightly,  for  only  men  with  good  hands  can 
safely  use  it.  If  any  sudden  snatch  or  jerk  were  made 
at  the  curb,  and  the  horse  in  throwing  up  his  head 
found  himself  caught  by  the  standing  martingale,  a 
very  serious  accident  might  happen.  The  standing- 
martingale  in  no  way  impedes  a  horse's  jumping,  for 
horses  do  not  jump  with  their  heads  in  the  air,  unless 
they  fear  the  curb.  Fig.  48  shows  its  maximum 
length.  It  may  be  said  that  ladies  ought  not  to  ride 
horses  which  carry  their  heads  too  high,  but  many 
of  us  have  to  make  the  best  of  what  we  can  get  in 
the  matter  of  horseflesh,  and  employ  the  surest 
methods  at  our  command  for  keeping  such  animals 
under  perfect  control.  The  standing  martingale  is 
dangerous  in  hunting  only  when  going  through  gates, 
as  it  is  liable  to  catch  in  a  gate  post  and  cause  trouble. 
The  faster  a  horse  goes  at  any  particular  pace  in 
a  natural  and  unconstrained  manner,  the  more  will  he 
try  to  extend  his  head  and  neck,  so  as  to  bring  the 
centre  of  gravity  of  his  body  forward,  and  also  to  aid 
the  muscles  of  the  neck  in  drawing  the  fore  limbs  to 
the  front.  The  pulling  In  of  the  head  and  neck  by  the 
reins  will,  therefore,  be  a  direct  indication  to  the  animal 
to  slacken  his  speed.  If  he  be  well  broken  he  will  not 
only  go  slower,  but  will  also  signify  the  fact  of  his 
obedience  by  yielding  to  the  bit  by  the  play  of  the 
joints  of  his  head  and  neck.     When  he  keeps  these 


HANDS.  163 

joints  (namely,  those  which  connect  the  lower  jaw  to 
the  head,  and  the  head  to  the  neck,  and  the  joints  of 
the  neck  themselves)  free  from  all  rigidity  and  bears 
lightly  on  the  bit,  he  is  what  is  called  "well  in  hand," 
in  which  state  every  horsewoman  should  endeavour  to 
keep  her  mount,  as  it  is  the  beatc  ideal  one  that  admits 
of  full  control  by  the  rider  and  of  perfect  freedom  of 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  horse.  Having  the 
horse  well  in  hand,  the  rider  should  be  careful  to  keep 
the  reins  at  one  tinaltered  length  for  the  particular 
rate  of  speed  at  which  she  is  going.  If  she  desires  to 
increase  it,  she  should  give  her  horse  a  signal  which 
he  understands,  and  should  lengthen  the  reins  as  may 
be  required.  If  she  Welshes  to  go  slow^er,  she  should 
proportionately  shorten  them  ;  but  she  should  always 
preserve  uniformity  of  speed  at  any  pace  by  keeping  a 
fixed  length  of  reins.  Nothing  is  worse  for  a  horse's 
mouth  than  the  constant  "give  and  take  "  (in  Ireland 
they  call  it  "niggling"  at  a  horse's  mouth)  which  is 
practised  by  almost  every  bad  rider.  This  fact  is  so 
w^ell  recognised  by  our  jockeys  that  "Keep  your  hands 
steady  "  is  the  chief  order  which  competent  trainers  of 
racehorses  give  to  their  lads.  When  a  rider  keeps 
shifting  the  position  of  her  hands,  her  bewildered 
animal  will  be  unable  to  know  at  what  speed  she  wants 
him  to  travel.  All  this  reads  very  simple,  but  some- 
times we  find  that  horses,  especially  w^hen  excited  by 
hounds,  insist  on  going  at  their  own  pace.  If-  the 
coast  is  clear  in  front,  and  the  horseman  in  advance 
has  got  safely  over  and  away  from  the  fence  to  which 

II* 


i64  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP   AND    SPUE. 

a  lady  is   approaching,   it  would   not   be   wise  for  her 
to  interfere   with  her  hunter,  because,  if  he  knows  his 
business,  he  won't  fall  if  he  can  help  It.      But  If,  on  the 
other  hand,   the    only   practicable  place  In    a  fence  Is 
not  free,  the  keenness  of  the  animal  must  be  checked 
by  a  judicious  use  of  the  curb.      If  he  is  so  headstrong 
as  to    refuse    to    obey  this    command    by  slackening 
speed,   he   should  be  turned   round   either  to  right  or 
left,    w^hlchever    may    be    the    easier    for    his    rider. 
When   we  find   ourselves  In    such    a    tight  corner  we 
must,   for  our   own  safety  as   well  as  for  that   of  our 
neighbours,    exercise    a    certain    amount    of    force    in 
controlling  our  horses.      The  "  silken  thread  "  method 
of  handling,  which  is,  or  should  be,  employed  at  any 
other   time,   stands    us    in    poor   stead    In  the  face    of 
this  difficulty.      There  are  horses  w^hich    will    neither 
slacken  speed  nor  turn  for  their  riders,  and  a  runaway 
in   the    hunting    field    Is   by   no   means   rare.       If  any 
lady    has    a    hunter    who    takes    charge    of     her    In 
this  manner,  I   would  strongly  advise  her  to  ride  him 
in    a    standing    martingale    (p.   82),    because  with  Its 
aid   she  will   generally  be  able    to    turn  him,    even   If 
she    cannot    stop    him    in    any    other    w^ay.      A    horse 
which   will    neither    slacken    speed    nor    turn    in   any 
direction  gallops  on,  as  a  rule,  with  his  head  up,  and, 
having  succeeded  In  shifting  the  snaffle  from  the   bars 
to  the  corners  of  his  mouth,   he   is  impervious  to  the 
action   of  the   curb,  because  his  head   Is  too  high  for 
the  curb  to  act  with  advantage.     On  such  an  animal 
the  standing  martingale  is  valuable,  because  it   makes 


VOICE.  165 

him  keep  his  head  in  a  proper  position.  A  great  deal 
of  sound  sense  has  been  written  by  different  horsemen 
on  the  subject  of  "  hands."  Sam  Chifney  tells  us  to  use 
the  reins  as  if  they  were  silken  threads  which  any  sharp 
pull  would  break,  and  Mr.  John  Hubert  Moore  always 
gave  the  advice  to  take  a  pull  at  the  reins  as  though 
you  were  drawing  a  cork  out  of  a  bottle  without 
wishing  to  spill  one  drop  of  its  contents.  I  have  often, 
in  my  own  mind,  likened  a  horse's  mouth  to  a  piece 
of  narrow  elastic  which  is  capable  of  expansion  up  to  a 
certain  point.  When  vigorously  tugged  at,  it  is  no 
longer  elastic,  but  as  unyielding  as  ordinary  string. 
Good  hands  maintain  its  elasticity,  bad  ones  convert  it 
Into  string.  A  sympathetic  touch  on  a  horse's  mouth 
can  only  be  made  by  "  good  hands."  A  musician,  If 
he  is  an  artist,  will  accompany  a  weak-voiced  singer 
so  sympathetically  that  the  sweet  though  not  robust 
notes  of  the  voice  are  heard  to  the  best  advantage  : 
he  is  a  man  with  good  hands.  A  heavy-fisted  player, 
desiring  to  show  his  command  over  the  Instrument, 
will  try  to  turn  the  accompaniment  into  a  pianoforte 
solo,  and  the  nice  notes  of  the  struggling  singer  will 
be  entirely  drowned  by  noise.  He  Is  like  the  heavy- 
handed,  unsympathetic  rider. 

VOICE. 

For  pleasant  riding,  it  Is  essential  that  the  horse 
should  understand  his  rider's  orders,  which  are  usually 
given  to  him  only  by  the  reins  and  whip.  However 
efficiently    a    lady    may    use    these    "aids,"    the    fact 


i66  HANDS,    VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

remains    that    a   good  understanding    between  herself 
and  her  mount  is  better  established  bv  the  voice   than 
by  any  other  means.      With  a  little  vocal   training   any 
ordinary   horse,    when   going  fast,   will    pull    up    more 
promptly   and    with    greater    ease   to    his    mouth    and 
hocks,    by   a  pleasantly  uttered   "  whoa,"    than  by  the 
action  of    hands   and  reins.      Young   horses,   like  fox- 
hound puppies  which  are  taken  out  for  the  first  time, 
show  great  reluctance  to  pass  moving  objects  ;  but  if 
the  rider  speaks  encouragingly  to   her  mount    in  a  tone 
of  voice  that  means  he  must  go  on,  he  will  try  his  best 
to    obey   her,    although    his  attention   may  be  divided 
betwixt  fear  and  duty.     As  a  reward,  his  rider  should 
give  him  a  few  pats  on  the  neck  and   speak  encourag- 
ingly to  him,  and   she  will   doubtless  find   that   he  will 
make    a    bolder    effort    to    obey    her    voice    when    he 
again  finds  himself  confronted  with  a  similar  difficulty  ; 
because  he  will  associate  his  first  escape  from  apparent 
disaster   with    her   voice,    and    will  in  time  have  such 
confidence    in     her    guidance    that    a    word    from    her 
will  be  quite  sufficient  to  assure  him  that  all  is  well. 
When  riding  bad    horses    at    my    husband's  breaking- 
classes  abroad,  I  found  it  best  not  to  speak   to   them  ; 
for    a    bond  of  friendship    had    not    been    established 
between  us,  and  I  noticed  that    the   sound  of  my  voice 
often    stirred    up    their    angry  passions   by  reminding 
them,  I  suppose,  of  some  former  rider  who  had  scolded 
them  while  ill-treating   them.      It  was  unsafe  even  to 
pat  and  try  to  be  friendly  with  such  spoiled  horses.      I 
remember    a    very    violent    animal    in    Pretoria  which 


VOICE.  167 

showed  resentment  In  this  respect  by  rushing  at  me 
after  I  had  dismounted,  simply  because  I  endeavoured 
to  pat  and  say  a  kind  word  to  him.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  he  would  have  accepted  my  well-meant 
advances  if  we  had  had  time  to  mutually  understand 
each  other.  A  show  jumper  named  Mons  Meg 
was  so  terrified  of  the  man  who  used  to  ride  her 
that,  on  hearing  his  voice,  even  from  a  distance, 
she  would  break  out  In  a  perspiration  and  stand 
trembling  with  terror.  The  mare  was  really  so 
kind  that  we  had  her  for  a  time  at  Ward's  Riding- 
School,  and  she  was  ridden  without  reins  over  jumps 
by  several  of  our  pupils.  I  took  her  to  ride  in  a 
jumping  competition  at  the  Agricultural  Hall;  but, 
unfortunately,  the  rider  she  disliked  came  to  her  stall 
and  spoke  to  her,  with  the  usual  result,  and  when  I 
got  on  her  back  she  was  violently  agitated,  and  refused 
the  second  fence,  which  was  a  gate.  At  one  moment 
it  seemed  as  though  she  would  have  brought  us  both 
to  grief,  for  she  tried  to  jump  out  of  the  ring  among 
the  people — a  feat,  I  was  afterwards  told,  she  had 
performed  on  more  than  one  occasion.  She  would 
always  jump  kindly  when  away  from  the  hated  show 
ring,  where  she  must  at  some  time  or  other  have  been 
badly  treated.  When  animals  get  into  a  state  of 
nervous  excitement,  a  few  pats  on  the  neck  and  a 
soothing  word  or  two  often  act  like  magic  in  calming 
them  down.  A  mare  which  was  lent  me  In  Calcutta 
by  a  horse  importer,  and  on  which  I  won  a  cup  In 
an  open  jumping  competition,  was  in  such  a  state  of 


i68  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

nervousness  that  she  would  not  let  me  take  the  trophy 
until  I  patted  and  spoke  to  her,  and  the  presentation 
was  then  effected  without  a  scene.  This  animal,  which 
was  a  well-bred  Australian,  was  a  stranger  to  me,  and 
had  never  carried  a  lady  before  that  day.  Neverthe- 
less, she  passed  successfully  through  a  terribly  trying- 
ordeal,  and  I  am  certain  that  she  would  not  have  made 
the  great  efforts  she  did  in  jumping,  if  I  had  not 
soothed  and  encouraged  her  with  my  voice.  She  was 
only  14-2  in  height,  and  was  competing  against  big 
horses,  some  of  which  were  ridden  by  steeplechase 
jockeys.  The  competition  took  place  at  night  in  a  circus 
which  was  lighted  by  electricity,  and  which  was  open  at 
each  end.  The  object  to  be  jumped  was  a  white  gate 
placed  midway  across  the  arena,  and  raised  each  time 
that  it  had  been  successfully  cleared.  From  the 
glare  of  electric  light  in  this  crowded  place,  we  had  to 
go  into  outer  darkness  and  carefully  avoid  the  tent 
pegs  and  ropes  in  finding  our  way  to  the  other 
entrance.  While  we  were  waiting  our  turn  to  jump, 
we  had  to  stand  near  a  cage  of  lions  which  growled 
savagely  during  the  whole  time,  and  also  in  the  vicinity 
of  two  camels.  My  mount  disliked  the  camels  far 
more  than  the  lions  ;  in  fact,  she  hated  the  sight  of 
them,  and  would  have  done  her  best  to  escape,  if  I 
had  not  turned  her  head  away  from  them  and  patted 
and  soothed  her.  Mr.  Frank  Fillis,  who  was  the 
proprietor  of  the  circus,  told  me  that  horses  have  such 
an  antipathy  to  camels  that  they  will  not  drink,  however 
thirsty  they  may  be,  from  a  bucket  which  has  been  used 


VOICE.  169 

by  one  of  these  long-necked  animals.  By-the-bye,  my 
acquisition  of  this  cup  caused  me  to  be  branded  as  a 
''circus  rider"  by  the  ladies  in  a  Little  Pedlington 
village  in  this  country  ;  for  when  the  local  society 
leader  called  on  me,  I  was  out,  and  my  son,  by 
way  of  entertaining  her,  showed  her  "the  cup  that 
mother  won  in  a  circus  !  " 

In  order  for  the  voice  to  be  effective,  the  word 
of  command  must  be  given  at  the  moment  when  a 
horse  is  about  to  play  up  in  any  way,  not  after  he 
has  committed  a  fault,  and  therefore  a  knowledge  of 
horses  and  their  ways  is  necessary  before  we  can 
use  the  voice  properly.  It  is  always  advisable 
to  keep  an  eye  on  our  mount,  because  if  v/e 
do  not  do  so,  we  shall  be  unable  to  seize  the 
generally  brief  moment  which  exists  between  the 
thought  of  evil  in  the  animal's  mind  and  its  execution. 
Those  who  have  lived  much  among  horses  must  have 
frequently  noticed  this  preparatory  period  before  a 
horse  plays  up,  and  no  doubt  have  profited  by  the 
warning  their  experienced  eyes  gave  them  ;  for  if  we 
see  what  is  about  to  come,  and  know  how  to  avert 
it,  we  are  often  able  to  save  ourselves  from  disaster. 

In  order  that  the  animal  may  thoroughly  understand 
our  words  of  command,  we  should  have  as  few  of  them 
as  possible,  employ  them  only  when  necessary,  and 
always  in  the  same  respective  tone  of  voice,  whether  it 
be  a  soothing  word  of  encouragement  accompanied  by 
a  few  pats  on  the  neck,  or  the  word  "steady"  given 
in  a  determined  tone,  and  accompanied  by  a  restraining 


I/O  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

pull  on  the  reins  as  may  be  necessary.  The  word 
''whoa"  is  best  uttered  in  rather  a  high  key  and  in 
a  drawling  tone,  when  we  begin  to  pull  up  a  horse 
during  movement;  but  we  should  reserve  "steady," 
like  the  curb,  for  use  in  emergency,  and  should  utter 
it  in  a  threatening  tone  of  voice.  The  words  of 
command  which  an  inexperienced  rider  will  find  most 
useful  are  a  click  of  the  tongue  for  a  walk,  trot,  and 
canter;  "whoa"  to  pull  up;  "steady"  when  he 
is  going  too  fast,  or  indulging  in  unnecessary  leaps 
and  bounds  ;  "  go  on,"  with  a  few  pats  on  the  neck,  if 
he  is  nervous  about  passing  any  object,  or  shying  ; 
and  a  quiet  word  or  tw^o  of  encouragement,  with 
more  pats  on  the  neck,  w^hen  he  is  in  a  state  of 
nervous  excitement,  as,  for  instance,  on  his  first  day 
with  hounds. 

When  visiting  a  horse  in  his  stable  to  give  him  a 
carrot  or  other  tit-bit,  his  mistress  should  call  him  by 
his  name,  and  he  will  soon  neigh  on  hearing  her  voice, 
if  she  always  gives  him  something  nice  ;  for  horses, 
like  poor  relations,  don't  appreciate  our  visits  unless 
they  can  get  something  out  of  us.  Lady  Dilke  had 
a  horse  which  she  had  trained  to  lick  her  hand.  On 
going  up  to  him  in  his  box  she  would  put  out  her 
hand  and  say  "  Lick  her,  dear,"  and  the  animal  would 
give  her  his  mute  caress  like  a  dog  :  it  was  very  pretty 
to  see  how  well  the  pair  understood  each  other.  We 
may  see  the  power  of  the  voice  exemplified  in  cart 
horses,  which  will  turn  to  right  or  left,  go  faster  or 
slower,  or  pull  up,  according  as  they  receive  the  word 


WHIP 


171 


Fig.  85. — Hunting  whip. 


172  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND   SPUR. 

of  command  from  the  wagoner  who  walks  beside 
them.  The  voice  is  also  greatly  used  by  polo  players. 
Horses  are  very  catholic  in  their  admiration  for  tit- 
bits. They  like  all  kinds  of  sweets  and  fruit,  and  will 
even  crunch  up  the  stones  of  plums  and  peaches,  which 
require  good  teeth  to  crack.  An  old  favourite  of 
mine  was  particularly  fond  of  chocolate  and  jam 
tarts ! 

WHIP. 

The  chief  uses  of  a  hunting  whip  are  to  help  the 
rider  to  manipulate  gates,  and  to  be  cracked ;  the 
former  being  much  more  necessary  to  a  horsewoman 
than  the  latter.  The  crop  should  therefore  be 
of  a  serviceable  length.  It  is  the  very  silly  fashion 
at  present  to  have  hunting  whips  that  are  less 
than  two  feet  long.  Many  are  made  of  whalebone, 
and  are  covered  with  catgut,  their  special  advantage 
being  that  their  flexibility  greatly  facilitates  the  process 
of  cracking.  A  more  serviceable  crop  for  a  lady  is 
one  of  stiff  cane,  the  thick  end  of  the  handle  of  which 
is  made  rough,  as  in  Fig.  S^,  or  is  provided  with  a 
metal  stud,  so  that  the  handle  may  not  slip  when  it 
is  pushed  against  a  gate.  Formerly,  two  feet  three 
inches  was  the  usual  length  of  a  hunting  crop  for  both 
sexes.  Three  feet  is  a  much  better  length  for  ladies, 
who  cannot  "get  down  into  their  saddle"  like  men. 
Besides,  a  fairly  long  crop  is  very  useful  for  keeping  a 
horse  straight  by  the  rider  touching  him  with  it  on  the 
off  flank  when  he  wants  to  run  out  to  the  left,  which  is 


WHIP. 


17 


his  favourite  side  for  refusing  in  the  large  majority  of 
cases.  A  short  crop  is  useless  for  this  purpose,  as  the 
right  hand  will  be  fully  occupied  on  such  trying 
occasions  in    keeping    the    animal's    head  toward    the 


■f-'fJ'':. 


Fig.  86. — Thong  properly  put  on. 


B'ig.  87. — Thong  properly  put  on. 


obstacle,  and  the  crop  should  be  able  to  perform  its 
share  of  the  work  by  a  turn  of  the  wrist,  care  being 
taken  that  no  jerk  is  communicated  to  the  rein. 

The   thong   is   about  three  feet  ten  inches  long,  is 
furnished  with  a  lash,  which  is  about  a  foot  long,  and 


174  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP   AND    SPUR. 

is  attached  to  the  keeper,  which  is  a  leather  loop  at 
the  end  of  the  crop.  Men  generally  like  a  thong  of 
white  pipe-clayed  leather,  but  as  the  colour  is  apt  to 
come  off  and  soil  one's  habit,  a  brown  leather  thong  is 
best  for  ladies. 

The  keeper  of  the  modern  hunting  whip  has  a  slit, 
near  its  end,  through  both  thicknesses  of  leather.  In 
attaching  the  thong,  the  loop  at  its  upper  end  is  placed 
over  the  end  of  the  keeper,  and  it  is  then  passed 
through  the  slit  and  drawn  tightly  (Fig.  86).  The 
old-fashioned  keeper,  which  is  still  greatly  in  use,  is  a 
simple  loop  of  leather,  over  which  the  loop  of  the 
thong  is  put,  and  the  remainder  of  the  thong  is 
threaded  through  the  opening  at  the  end  of  the 
keeper  (Fig.  Sy).  A  wrong  way  to  put  on  the  thong 
is,  in  the  first  instance,  to  pass  the  loop  of  the  thong 
through  (instead  of  over)  the  keeper  (Fig.  SS).  Some 
authorities  might  take  exception  to  the  way  the  thong 
is  put  on  in  Fig.  89. 

To  facilitate  the  use  of  the  thong,  it  is  well  to  have 
a  long  keeper,  as  in  Fig.  86.  The  keeper  of  the  whip 
which  is  shown   in.  Fig.  85,  and  also  in  Fig  Sy,  is  too 

short. 

The  chief  use  of  the  thong  in  hunting  is  to  recover 
the  crop  if  it  happens  to  be  pulled  out  of  the  hand 
when  opening  a  gate,  before  doing  which,  one  or  more 
turns  of  the  thong  are  consequently  taken  round  the 
hand.  It  also  enables  us  to  warn  off  hounds  who 
approach  too  near  our  horses'  legs,  on  which  occasions 
the  whip   should  be  held   at  arm's  length,  with  thong 


WHIP. 


175 


and  lash  vertical.  A  touch  of  the  lash  may  aid  in 
encouraging  a  friend's  horse  to  go  through  something 
to  which  he  objects,  but  a  man  would  doubtless  be 
handv  to  do  the  needful  in  such  a  case.      It  would  be 


Fig.  88. — ^Thong  incorrectly  put  on. 


Fig.  89. — Thong  not  quite  right. 


well  for  a  lady  to  know  how  to  crack  her  whip,  if  her 
help  were  required  in  turning  hounds,  or  in  hurrying 
up  a  laggard  hound  ;  but  this  art  should  first  be  learnt 
on  foot,  under  the  tuition  of  a  competent  man,  in  much 
the  same  way  as  Mr.  Frank  Ward  teaches  his  pupils  to 


i;6  HANDS,    VOICE,   WHIP   AND    SPUR. 

catch  the  thong  with  precision  for  four-in-hand  driving; 
and  the  lady's  hunter   must  also  be  trained   to   stand 
having  a  whip  cracked  on  his  back,  before  any"  experi- 
ment  of  that  kind    is  performed  in  the  hunting  field. 
It   is  a  good    plan    to    first    accustom    hunters  to    the 
cracking  of  a  whip  in  or  near  their  stables,  letting  them 
see  the  performance,  and,    after  a    ridden    horse    will 
quietly   stand    the   whip    being   flicked,    his   rider  may 
safely    crack  it,   supposing,   of  course,   she    is    able  to 
wield    her    flail    correctly,    and    without    touching   the 
animal ;  hence  the  necessity  of  acquiring  precision    in 
this  art  before  attempting  it  on  horseback.     An   expe- 
rienced   hunting  w^oman  tells  me  that  women    should 
be  as  useful  in  the  field  as  men  ;  but    I    fear  that  is 
impossible,  for  we  cannot  get  on  and  off  our  horses  as 
easily  as  men,  to  render  prompt  help  in  cases  of  emer- 
gency ;  hold  open  a  gate  on  a  windy  day,  or  perform 
the  numerous  kindly  acts  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
mere    male.       Besides,     however     active     and     well- 
intentioned    w^e   may    be,    we    are    hampered    by    our 
dress,  and  still  more  so  by  the  want  of  it,  in  the  case  of 
an  apron  skirt.       If  a  crop  is  used  for  hacking,  say  in 
the  Row,  the  thong  should  be  taken  off,  for  it  would  look 
as   much  out  of  place    there  as  a  pink   hunting   coat. 
The  whip  should  be  always  carried  handle  downw^ards, 
on  the  off-side,  as  if  we  w^ere  trying  to  conceal  its  pres- 
ence, and  not  as  though  we  were  riding  with  "a  rein  in 
each  hand,  and  a  whip  in  the  other." 

In  a  country  of  hedges,  like  the  Shires,  it  is  well  to 
acquire  the  habit   of  holding  the  whip  in  such  a  way 


SPUR. 


1/7 


that  the  handle  of  the  whip  will  point  directly  back- 
wards ;  for  if  it  is  inclined  outwards,  it  will  be  apt  to 
catch  in  a  branch  or  twig,  when  going  through  a 
bullfinch  (Fig.  90)  or  straggling  hedge. 


SPUR. 


The    spur     is     inapplicable    to    the  requirements   of 


Fig.  90. — A  practicable  Bullfinch. 

ordinary  side-saddle  riding  ;  because,  in  order  to  use  it 
properly,  it  should  be  applied,  as  nearly  as  practicable, 
at  rioht  anoles  to  the  side  of  the  horse,  so  as. to  touch 
him  only  on  one  spot,  in  which  case  the  knee  would 
have  to  l)e  brought  well  away  from  the  fla[)  of  the 
saddle,  and  the  toe  of  the  boot  turned  outwards.  This 
would  necessitate   the    use    of  a  long    stirrup    leather, 

12 


178  HANDS,   VOICE,    WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

which  would  bring  the  rider's  weight  too  much  to  the 
near-side,  and  would  also  render  her  seat  insecure  ; 
because,  instead  of  being  able  to  get  grip  by  the  play 
of  her  left  ankle  joint  (p.  149),  she  would  have  to  draw 
back  the  left  foot,  and  press  the  upper  part  of  the  thigh 
against  the  leaping  head.  Her  forced  adoption  of  this 
feeble  attempt  to  obtain  firmness  of  seat  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  if  she  raised  her  left  knee  to  put  pressure 
on  the  leaping  head,  her  foot,  in  all  probability,  would 
come  out  of  the  iron,  owing  to  the  long  leather  being 
slack  at  that  moment.  Besides,  with  a  leather  at  that 
length,  it  would  be  impossible  for  her  to  press  her  leg 
strongly  against  the  leaping  head  by  the  action  of  the 
ankle  joint.  A  lady  who  rides  with  her  stirrup  leather 
at  the  correct  length  (Fig.  79),  can  use  the  spur  only 
in  a  more  or  less  parallel  direction  to  the  animal's  side, 
in  which  case,  the  spur,  if  it  is  sharp,  will  be  almost 
certain  to  tear  the  skin,  instead  of  lightly  pricking  it. 

The  entirely  wrong  system  of  handling,  feeding, 
and  leading  horses  almost  always  on  the  near  side, 
teaches  them  to  turn  much  more  easily  as  a  rule  to 
that  side,  which  is  a  lady's  weak  side,  than  to  the 
right.  Consequently,  when  they  ''run  out"  at  a 
fence,  they  almost  invariably  swerve  to  the  left.  In 
such  a  case,  a  man  has  his  hands  to  turn  the  animal's 
head  and  neck,  and  his  drawn  back  right  leg  to 
straighten  the  hind  quarters  ;  but  the  handicapped  lady 
can  supplement  the  action  of  her  reins  only  by  the 
whip,  which  she  cannot  use  very  effectively,  owing 
to    her    perched-up    position  on    the    saddle.       If   she 


SPUR.  179 

used  a  spur  she  would  be  at  a  still  greater  disad- 
vantage, because,  in  order  to  escape  the  pain  of 
the  ''persuader,"  the  animal  would  naturally  swing 
his  hind  quarters  round  to  the  right,  and  would 
consequently  bring  his  fore-hand  still  more  to  the  left, 
by  the  action  of  this  misapplied  "  aid."  If  the  lady's 
whip  is  not  sufficiently  long  to  give  her  mount  the 
requisite  reminder  on  the  off  flank,  either  by  being 
pressed  closely  against  it,  or  by  the  administration  of  a 
sharp  tap,  it  will  be  useless  for  straightening  him. 
Lady  Augusta  Fane,  who  is  one  of  the  best  horse- 
women in  Leicestershire,  and  who  certainlv  rides  a 
greater  variety  of  hunters  during  a  season  than  any 
other  lady  in  the  Shires,  is  strongly  opposed  to  the  use 
of  the  spur.  She  tells  me  that  ''  if  a  horse  is  so  sticky 
as  to  require  a  spur,  he  is  no  hunter  for  this  country  ; 
and  if  he  is  a  determined  refuser,  no  woman,  spur  or  no 
spur,  can  make  him  gallop  to  these  big  fences  and  jump. 
I  consider  a  spur  a  very  cruel  thing,  and  feel  certain 
that  many  men  would  find  their  horses  go  better,  and 
jump  better,  if  they  left  their  spurs  at  home,  and  many 
accidents  would  be  avoided."  Lord  Harrington,  who 
is  well  known  as  a  fiine  horseman,  also  dislikes  spurs, 
and  has  advocated  their  abolition  in  the  Yeomanry.  In 
this  he  should  receive  the  support  of  all  good  riders,  as 
they  know  that  placid-tempered  horses  have  better 
paces,  higher  courage,  superior  staying  power,  and 
greater  cleverness  and  tact  in  times  of  danger  than  ex- 
citable ones.  In  polo,  where  the  legs  are  far  more 
required  for  guiding  the  horse  than  in  hunting,  the  use 

I  2* 


i8o  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

of  sharp  spurs  is  forbidden,  except  by  special  permis- 
sion. Why te- Melville  points  out  that  my  sex  are 
unmerciful  in  the  abuse  of  the  spur.  He  says : — 
*'  Perhaps  because  they  have  but  one,  they  use  this 
stimulant  liberally  and  without  compunction.  From 
their  seat  and  shortness  of  stirrup  every  kick  tells  home. 
Concealed  under  a  riding  habit,  these  vigorous  applica- 
tions are  unsuspected  by  lookers  on."  I  have  seen 
more  than  one  poor  animal's  side  badly  torn  and 
bleeding  from  a  lady's  spur.  A  lady  who  rides  a  horse 
in  the  ordinary  way  with  this  instrument  of  torture, 
which  she  Is  unable  to  use  correctly,  brands  herself  in  the 
eyes  of  her  more  experienced  sister  as  an  Incompetent 
horsewoman.  I  have  heard  hunting  men  advocate 
the  spur  for  ladies  ;  but  they  would  probably  change 
their  opinion  if  they  were  to  try  the  effect  of  riding 
with  one  spur,  and  that  on  the  left  foot,  especially  in  a 
lady's  hunting  saddle.  Very  few  men  who  wear  spurs 
are  able  to  use  them  properly  ;  Whyte  Melville  says 
not  one  in  ten,  and  "  the  tenth  is  often  most  unwilling 
to  administer  so  severe  a  punishment."  The  late 
George  Fordham  wholly  repudiated  "  the  tormentors," 
and  said  they  made  a  horse  shorten  his  stride  and  *'  shut 
up,"  Instead  of  struggling  bravely  home.  My  husband. 
In  Riding  and  Httnting,  says  It  is  the  fashion  to  wear 
spurs  with  top-boots,  but  many  good  horses  go  much 
better  without  them.  Whyte  Melville  remarks  that  ''a 
top-boot  has  an  unfinished  look  without  Its  appendage 
of  shining  steel ;  and  although  some  sportsmen  assure  us 
-that  they  dispense  with  rowels,  it  is  rare  to  find  one  so 


SPUR. 


i8i 


indifferent  to  appearances  as  not  to  wear  spurs."     Men 

wear  spurs  in  hunting  because  it  is 

fashionable  to  do  so,  but  there  is  no 

such     arbitrary  law   laid    down    for 

ladies,  and  the  presence  of  the  spur 

certainly    adds    to    the    danger    of 

dragging    by  the    stirrup  ;     for,    as 

Whyte     Melville      points    out,     its 

buckle   "is   extremely  apt   to   catch 

in  the  angle  of  the  stirrup  iron,  and 

hold   us    fast    at    the  very  moment 

when  it  is  important  for  our  safety 

we  should  be  free." 

In  Continental  high  school  riding, 
a  spur  is  a  necessity,  as,  without  its 
aid,  the  ecuyeres  would  not  be  able 
to  perform  many  of  their  airs  de 
manege.  These  ladies,  in  order  to 
apply  the  spur  with  freedom,  have 
the  stirrup  leather  so  long  that  they 
are  deprived  of  the  immense  ad- 
vantage, which  the  play  of  the  ankle- 
joint  gives  us,  of  applying  pressure 
with  the  leg  against  the  leaping 
head,  and  with  the  flat  of  the  knee 
against  the  saddle  flap.  The 
"  school  "  rider  seeks  to  strengthen 
her  weak  seat  by  the  employment 
of  a  very  long^  and   g^reatly  curved    ^^s-  91-— Spur-carrymg 

^  °  whip  used  for  high 

leaping  head,  which  serves  to  sup-  school  riding. 


i82  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

port  her  leg  while  her  knee  is  removed  from  the  flap 
of  the  saddle  when  using  the  spur.  This  leaping- 
head,  which  almost  encircles  the  left  leg,  would,  of 
course,  be  a  most  dangerous  thing  to  use  when 
hunting.  The  spurred  lady  also  has  a  spur  clamped 
on  to  her  whip,  in  order  that  she  may  be  able  to 
prod  her  horse  equally  on  both  sides.  The  whip- 
spur  (Fig.  91)  is  like  a  wheel  with  sharp  spokes 
and  no  tyre.  The  application  of  the  spur  by  Conti- 
nental ccuyeres,  especially  in  obtaining  the  more  difficult 
airs,  is  more  or  less  constant,  so  as  to  keep  the  animal 
in  a  continued  state  of  irritation.  I  went  behind  the 
scenes  in  a  well-known  circus  in  Paris,  where  I  saw  a 
lady  mounted  and  waiting  to  go  on  and  give  her  per- 
formance. A  man  was  holding  her  horse's  head,  and  a 
second  attendant,  with  a  spur  in  his  hand,  was  digging 
the  unfortunate  animal  on  the  near  side  under  her 
habit,  which  he  was  holding  up  for  the  purpose.  He 
took  care  to  inflict  the  cruel  punishment  on  a  part 
of  the  horse's  body  which  would  not  be  seen  by  the 
public  !  The  animal,  being  unable  to  advance,  was 
lifting  his  legs  up  and  down  (doing  the  piaffer),  and 
sighing  and  groaning  in  agony.  When  the  circus  doors 
were  opened  and  relief  thus  came  to  him,  he  bounded 
into  the  arena  like  a  fury,  amidst  the  thunderous 
applause  of  the  audience  !  I  should  have  liked  to  have 
seen  that  spur-man  punished  for  cruelty  to  animals,  for 
if  the  performance  went  on,  as  I  believe  it  did,  every 
night,  that  horse's  near  side  must  have  been  in  a 
shocking  condition  !      It   is   by   no  means   an   unusual 


SPUR.  183 

occurrence  for  high  school  lady  riders  to  be  securely 
tied  to  their  saddles.  , 

We  must  remember  that  a  hunter  has  to  carry  his 
rider  for  several  hours.  Hunting  is  not  steeplechasing, 
and  if  a  reluctant  fencer  cannot  be  sufficiently  roused 
by  a  touch  of  the  whip,  I  fail  to  see  what  is  to  be 
gained  by  spurring  him  on  the  near  side,  and  thus 
giving  him  a  direct  incentive  to  refuse  to  the  left.  Be- 
sides, as  it  is  the  opinion  of  some  of  our  best  horsemen 
that  nine  out  of  every  ten  men  who  hunt  would  be 
better  and  more  safely  carried  if  they  rode  without 
spurs,  I  certainly  think  that  no  lady  should  subject  her 
hunter  to  "  the  insult  of  the  spur,"  especially  as  she  can 
inflict  the  punishment  only  on  the  near  side,  and  thus 
provoke  a  defensive  attitude  which  she  has  no  compen- 
sating power  to  successfully  resist. 

Some  years  ago  I  rode  in  a  jumping  competition  at 
Ranelagh.  There  were  about  twenty  men  and  one 
lady  besides  myself  among  the  competitors.  The  lady 
found  at  the  last  moment  that  she  had  forgotten  her 
spur,  and  a  servant  was  sent  to  her  trap  for  it,  as  she 
said  she  could  not  ride  w^ithout  it.  She  used  her  spur, 
but  was  unable  to  get  her  horse  over  even  the  first 
fence  !  Lufra,  a  well-known  prize  winner  at  the  Agricul- 
tural Hall  and  elsewhere,  won  the  Cup,  after  a  strong 
contest  against  my  horse  Gustave,  who  was  given  a  red 
rosette  for  being  second.  Gustave  had  never  jumped 
in  a  competition  before.  He  was  ridden  in  a  plain 
snaffle,  and  the  only  mistake  he  made  was  in  just 
tipping  the  raised  gate  with   his  hind  legs.      He   was 


i84  HANDS,   VOICE,   WHIP    AND    SPUR. 

evidently  unaware  that  it  had  been  raised,  for  when  I 
took  him  at  it  again,  just  to  show  the  ladies  that  he 
could  jump  it,  he  cleared  it  beautifully,  and  his 
temperate  style  of  fencing  was  greatly  admired. 


185 


CHAPTER    X. 
FIRST     LESSONS     IN     RIDING. 

The  walk— Turnina— The  halt— The  trot— The  canter— The  gallop— Jumping— 
Reinins:  back. 

THE    WALK. 

A  HORSE  which  is  held  by  a  groom  for  a  lady  to  mount, 
will    generally  start  ofY  at  a  walk  without  any  given 
signal  to  do   so,   when    the    servant    leaves    his    head, 
unless  his  rider  desires  him  to  remain  at  the  halt,  when 
she  would  give  him  a  command,  by  saying  "whoa!"; 
and  when  she  wants  him  to  proceed  on  his  journey,  she 
should  say   "goon,"  or  click  with  the  tongue.      It  is 
best  to   put  a  beginner  on  an  animal  which  has   been 
trained  to  await  the  commands  of  his  rider,  in  order 
that  she  may  from  her  very  first  lesson  in  riding,  learn 
the  rudiments  of  horse  control.      She  should  never  jerk 
the  reins  as  a  signal  to  start,   because  this  practice  is 
very  apt  to  confuse  and  consequently  to   irritate   the 
animal,  especially  as  the  perpetrator  of  this  betise  will, 
in   all   probability,    use  the   same    means  for  stopping 
him.       Before    she    gets    on    his    back,    the    instructor 
should  show  how  the  reins  should  be  held,  and  how  the 
horse  should   be   given  the  order   to   walk.      It   is  the 


i86  FIRST    LESSONS    I\    RIDING. 

custom  in  many  riding  schools  to  place  the  curb  and 
snaffle  reins  in  the  rider's  left  hand  and  leave  her  to 
find  out  their  use  as  best  she  can,  but  as  the  lady  will 
require  to  devote  almost  the  whole  of  her  attention  to 
her  seat,  and  as  in  hunting  she  will  ride  with  both  hands 
on  the  reins,  it  is  better  to  give  her  a  snaffle  rein  to 
hold  in  each  hand,  and  not  introduce  the  curb  until  she 
is  sufficiently  secure  in  her  seat  to  be  able  to  manipulate 
it  properly.  The  unusual  feeling  of  sitting  on  the  back 
of  a  moving  animal  will  often  cause  a  lady  to  lean 
forward  and  grip  her  crutches,  in  order  to  retain  her 
seat,  especially  at  the  turns  in  the  school  or  enclosure, 
where  she  may  be  receiving  her  lesson,  but  the  in- 
structor should  watch  her  carefully,  and  should  call  a 
halt  when  the  pupil  is  observed  to  be  riding  her 
crutches  instead  of  sitting  well  clown  in  her  saddle, 
and  obtaining  the  necessary  steadying  power  without 
bringing  the  weight  of  her  body  forward.  The  rider 
will  not  require  to  grip  her  crutches  while  proceeding 
in  a  forward  direction  at  a  walk,  although  their  aid 
may  be  necessary  when  executing  a  turning  movement, 
and  she  should  also  be  ready  to  apply  grip  at  any 
moment  of  emergency.  She  will  at  first  experience 
some  difficulty  in  being  able  to  dissociate  balance  from 
grip,  and  as  her  efforts  to  do  so  may  be  somewhat 
fatiguing  to  her,  her  first  lessons  should  be  of  short 
duration.  Fig.  92  shows  an  easy,  comfortable  position 
when  riding  at  a  walk. 

After    the    rider    has    mastered    the    art    of    sitting 
comfortably  and   firmly  in    her  saddle  at  a  walk,   she 


TURNING. 


187 


should  be  given  a  whip  to  hold  in  her  right  hand, 
which  should  also  hold  the  right  rein.  I  think  the  best 
kind  of  flail  for  a  beginner  is  a  long  cane.  A  cutting 
whip  is  not  sufficiently  stiff  to  be  used  as  an  indication, 
and  it  is  apt  to  tickle  the  horse's  sides,  and  make  him 
unsteady. 


I 


Fig.  92. — Thorough-bred  mare  at  a  walk. 


TURNING. 

A  lady  should  not  be  initiated  in  the  mysteries  of  any 
other  pace,  until  she  is  able  to  turn  her  horse  at  a  walk, 
in  any  direction,  while  maintaining  a  correct  balance  of 
her  body,  and  applying  only  sufficient  grip  to  aid  the 
movement. 

In  turning  a  horse  to  the  right,  she  should  lower  her 
right  hand  and  carry  it  well   away  from  his  shoulder. 


i88  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

while  "feeling''   the   right   rein,  so  as  to  give  him  as 
clearly  as  possible,  the  indication  to  turn  ;    she  should 
press  the  left  rein  against  his  neck,  by  moving  her  left 
hand  to  the  right  ;    she   should  grip  her  crutches,  and 
lean  to  the  right ;  and  should  resume  her  erect  position 
when   the   turn   is  completed.      If  the  animal  answers 
these  indications  only  by  turning  his  head  to  the  right, 
and  does  not  bring  his  hind  quarters  round  to  the  left, 
she  should  touch  him  lightly  with  the  whip  on  the  off 
flank,  so  as  to  make  him  bring  his  hind  quarters  round. 
In    turning  to   the   left,    the    opposite    indications   are 
employed ;    the   only  difference    being    that    the    whip 
cannot  be  used  on  the  animal's  left  side,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  the  skirt.       This   inability  to  employ  the 
whip  on  the  left  sid^  is  not  of  much  consequence  as  a 
rule,  because  almost  all  horses  readily  bring  their  hind 
quarters  round  to   the  right,  when  they  are  turned   to 
the  left. 

Having  turned  to  the  right,  she  may  ride  her  horse 
in  a  circle  to  the  right,  while  inclining  her  body  slightly 
inwards,  and  keeping  a  nice  feeling  of  the  right  rein, 
and  a  firm  grip  of  her  crutches  round  the  circle,  which 
at  first  should  be  large,  as  the  smaller  the  circle  the 
more  difficult  it  will  be  to  ride  and  guide  one's  mount. 
The  reversed  aids  are  used  when  circling  to  the  left. 

'the    halt. 

In  pulling  up  a  horse  from  a  walk,  or  any  other  pace, 
the  rider  should  say  ''  whoa,"  should  lean  back,  and 
at    the   same    time   draw   in   the   reins   with   an   even, 


THE    TROT.  189 

steady  feeling,  while  keeping  her  hands  low.  If  she 
has  any  difficulty  in  halting  with  precision,  she  should 
practise  walking  her  horse  short  distances  and  stopping 
him  at  the  word  ''whoa,"  which  should  be  given  to  him 
in  a  tone  that  he  can  understand,  for  he  cannot  obey 
orders  unless  he  knows  their  meaning. 

TIIK     TROT. 

When  learning  to  ride,  ladies  should  endeavour  to  be 
thorough,  and  should  not  proceed  to  study  a  new^  pace, 
before  the  previous  one  has  been  entirely  mastered.  If 
the  body  is  nicely  balanced  at  sharp  turns  at  the  walk, 
with  the  weight  evenly  distributed  on  the  saddle,  and 
both  legs  kept  perfectly  steady  and  in  their  right 
position,  a  great  deal  will  have  been  done  towards 
acquiring  a  firm  seat. 

When  the  pupil  is  able  to  ride  with  ease  and  grace  at 
the  walk,  she  may  receive  a  lesson  in  trotting.  I  think 
it  is  best  to  teach  the  trot  before  the  canter,  because 
the  majority  of  horses  trot  a  few  steps  before  they 
strike  off  into  the  canter. 

As  an  ounce  of  practice  is  worth  a  ton  of  theory, 
the  instructor  should  first  of  all  show  her  pupil  how  the 
trot  is  correctly  executed,  either  without  a  skirt  or  with 
one  pinned  back,  so  that  the  position  of  her  legs  may 
be  seen.  She  should  try  to  make  her  practical  demon- 
strations perfectly  clear,  and  should  encourage  her  pupil 
to  question  her  concerning  any  points  in  this  difficult 
pace  which  she  does  not  understand.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  trot  both   with  and  without  a  stirrup,  in  order 


190  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

to  show  that  the  weight  of  the  body  during  the  rise 
should  be  placed  on  the  right  leg,  and  not  on  the 
stirrup.  Reference  to  Figs.  79,  93,  94,  98,  99,  100, 
102  and  104  will  show  that  the  right  leg  remains  In 
precisely  the  same  position  at  the  walk,  trot,  canter, 
and  leap.  The  great  difficulty  In  trotting  Is  to  keep 
this  leg  absolutely  steady,  and  to  prevent  It  from 
w^orklng  backwards  and  forwards  with  the  motion  of 
the  body,  which  can  be  done  only  by  maintaining  a 
steady  pressure  against  the  upper  crutch  with  the 
right  knee.  When  this  has  been  obtained,  and  the 
rise  can  be  made  with  the  right  leg  held  motionless, 
the  rider  will  find  herself  able  somewhat  to  relax  this 
pressure,  but  In  a  mild  form  It  is  always  necessary  to 
press  the  right  knee  against  the  upper  crutch  in  trot- 
ting, so  as  to  aid  the  balance  and  to  avoid  putting  too 
much  weight  on  the  stirrup.  The  right  leg  from  the 
knee  down  should  lie  flat  and  in  a  slanting  position 
against  the  horse's  shoulder  (Fig.  79),  the  movement 
of  the  animal's  limb  being  distinctly  felt  by  the  rider's 
leg  which  is  resting  against  It.  Having  ascertained 
that  the  stirrup  Is  sufficiently  long  to  admit  of  the  flat 
of  the  hand  being  placed  between  the  left  leg  and  the 
leaping-head  w^hen  the  rider  Is  not  exercising  grip 
(Fig.  82)  —  which  will  allow  the  lady  to  clear  the 
leaping-head  when  rising  at  the  trot — she  should  take 
rather  a  short  hold  of  her  horse,  and  Induce  him  to 
bear  on  the  snaffle  to  aid  her  to  rise  ;  for  a  horse  which 
will  not  bear  on  the  reins  is  not  a  comfortable  animal 
to  trot  with.     A  lady  should  lean  slightly  forward  and 


THE    TROT. 


191 


rise  when  the  animal's  near  fore  leg  comes  on  the 
oTound.  In  Fig.  93  we  see  the  horse's  off  fore  on  the 
ground  and  the  lady  preparing  for  the  rise  with  her 
body  inclined  forward.  Fig.  94  gives  us  the  position 
of  the  rider  at  the  rise,  and  that  of  the  horse's  near 
fore  leg.      As  a  well-executed  trot  can  be  acquired  only 


l<'ig,  93.— Preparing  to  rise  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  at  correct  length. 

after  a  great  deal  of  practice,  a  lady  should  not  be  dis- 
heartened if  she  makes  -but  slow  progress.  She  will 
find  it  difficult  to  time  the  rise  accurately,  and  until  she 
can  do  this  it  is  best  for  her  to  sit  down  in  the  saddle 
and  bump  up  and  down  a  la  militaire,  keeping  her 
seat  by  the  aid  of  her  crutches,  and  occasionally  making 
an  effort  to  rise.  If  she  rises  at  the  wrong  time,  her 
effort    will    be    productive    of    a  churning    movement, 


192  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

which  should  at  once  be  discontinued,  for  that  sHp- 
shod  style  of  trotting  is  not  only  incorrect,  but  is 
liable  to  give  the  horse  a  sore  back,  and  will  prove 
very  tiring  to  the  rider.  In  making  the  rise  she 
should  straighten  her  left  knee  as  in  mounting,  and 
bear  slightly  on  the  stirrup,  executing  her  upward 
movement  by  the  aid  of  the  ankle-joint  and  by  simul- 
taneously pressing  the  upper  crutch  with  her  right 
knee,  when  she  will  return  to  her  former  position  with- 
out being  in  any  way  jerked  during  the  movement. 
The  stirrup  should  always  be  kept  in  one  fixed  position 
at  the  ball  of  the  foot,  and  both  foot  and  stirrup  should 
act  with  automatic  precision,  without  the  slightest 
jerk  or  wriggle,  exactly  as  though  the  lady  were 
making  an  upward  step  from  the  ground.  The 
pressure  of  the  foot  should  be  directed  on  the 
inner  side  of  the  stirrup-iron,  in  order  that  the 
leg  may  lie  close  to  the  flap  of  the  saddle.  She  will 
not  require  to  lift  herself  from  the  saddle,  for  the 
horse  will  put  her  up  to  the  necessary  height,  if  she 
straightens  her  left  knee  and  prepares  to  rise  at  the 
right  moment.  The  height  of  the  rise  will  vary 
according  to  the  size  and  action  of  the  horse.  An 
animal  of,  say,  15-3,  with  a  long,  swinging  trot,  will 
cause  his  rider  to  rise  higher  in  the  saddle  than  a.' 
smaller  horse  with  a  short,  shuffling  gait.  Many 
ponies  have  a  short,  quick  trot  requiring  a  hardly  per- 
ceptible rise  from  the  rider  ;  but  they  are  not,  as  a 
rule,  comfortable  trotters.  The  lady,  as  I  have  already 
remarked,    rises    when    the    animal's  near    fore    leg    is 


THE    TROT. 


193 


placed  on  the  ground,  and  remains  seated  while  the  off 
fore  leg  rests  on  the  ground,  but  the  height  and  dura- 
tion of  the  rise  will  depend  on  his  power  of  forward 
reach.  Some  ladies  exert  themselves  far  too  much  in 
rising,  and  flop  down  on  their  saddles  with  a  noise 
which  attracts  attention  to  their  faulty  riding,  and  which 


Fig.  94. — -Rising  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  at  correct  length. 


must  be  very  uncomfortable  both  to  them  and  their 
mounts.  The  chief  cause  of  this  faulty  style  is  the 
adoption  of  a  long  stirrup  (Figs.  95  and  96),  by  which 
the  weight  of  the  body  is  brought  so  much  to  the  near 
side  that  the  rider  can  rise  only  with  great  muscular 
exertion,  and  with  the  risk  of  giving  her  mount  a  sore 
back,  by  the  downward  drag  of  the  saddle  to  this  side. 
If  the  horse  were  to  break  into  a  canter,  the  lady  with 


194  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

a  long  stirrup  would  obtain  her  grip  by  bringing  back 
the  left  leg  as  in  Fig.  97  and  pressing  against  the 
leaping-head  high  up  on  the  thigh,  which  would  give 
her  a  very  insecure  and  ungraceful  seat.  I  have  seen 
ladies  trying  to  trot  with  the  left  leg,  from  hip  to  foot, 
swinging  about  like  the  pendulum  of  a  clock,  as  if  they 
had  no  knee-joint  at  all.  When  we  see  an  effort  to 
trot  with  a  stiff  left  leg  swinging  along  the  horse's 
shoulder,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  the  rider  has  her 
stirrup  too  long,  and  knows  nothing  about  the  art  of 
trotting,  or  that  the  leaping-head  of  her  saddle  is  placed 
so  low  down  on  the  near  side  that  she  is  unable  to  ride 
in  it,  and  has  to  stick  on  as  best  she  can.  As  we  do 
not  use  the  leaping-head  in  trotting,  its  position  on 
the  saddle  may  appear  unimportant,  but  this  is  not 
the  case  ;  for,  even  if  a  lady  has  her  stirrup  at  its 
correct  length,  the  fact  of  the  leaping-head  being- 
placed  low  down  on  the  near  side,  compels  her  to  ride 
with  her  stirrup  longer  than  she  would  have  to  do  if 
this  crutch  were  properly  placed.  The  farther  it  is 
away  from  the  upper  crutch,  the  greater  difficulty  will  a 
lady  have  in  rising  at  the  trot.  I  have  tried  to  ride  in 
saddles  in  which  I  have  found  trotting  such  a  tiring 
business,  and  requiring  so  much  muscular  exertion  on 
my  part,  that  it  was  much  more  comfortable  for  me  not 
to  rise,  but  to  bump  in  military  fashion.  Many  ladies, 
probably  from  the  same  reason,  never  rise  in  the  trot. 
It  is  both  wrong  and  unkind  to  put  girls  on  bad 
saddles  and  then  reproach  them  for  not  sitting  straight 
at  the  trot,  for  I  have  found  it  absolutely  impossible  to 


THE    TROT. 


195 


do  so  in  some  saddles.  Much  of  the  soreness  and 
misery  which  ladies  suffer  in  their  efforts  to  trot, 
would  be  obviated  if  the  leaping-head  of  their 
saddles   were  placed   as  in  Fig.    16. 

Although  a-well  executed   trot  looks  nice,  it  should 
be    only    sparingly    indulged    in,    because    it    is    more 


Fig.  95. — Preparing  to  rise  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  too  long. 

fatiguing  to  the  rider  than  the  canter  and  is  particu- 
larly liable  to  give  a  horse  a  sore  back  ;  for,  do  what 
the  lady  will  to  sit  "square,"  the  saddle,  supposing  she 
rises,  cannot  fail  to  have  some  side  motion.  Of  course 
the  rider  should  walk  or  trot,  and  not  canter,  on 
metalled  roads  and  hard  ground,  but  she  should  always 
take  advantage  of  any  bit  of  soft  "going"  and  indulge 
in  a  nice  easy  canter  on  it. 


13 


# 


196  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

A  lady  learning  to  trot  will  require  to  do  her  hair 
up  securely  with  plenty  of  hair-pins,   pay  attention  to 
the  fit   of  her  hat,   and   see  that   it  is   provided  with 
elastic   an   inch  wide   (p.    114),   because  she  will    find 
her  head  jerked   about   a  good  deal  during   her  first 
lessons.      The   trot   should   be    properly   studied   in  a 
school  or  enclosure  before  a  lady  is  taken  out  on  the 
roads,  for  she  can  learn  nothing  by  "slithering"  along 
anyhow,  and  will  be  liable  to  contract  a  bad  method 
of  riding,   which  will  probably  prevent  her  from  ever 
becoming  a  good  horsewoman.     We  must  remember 
that  the  trot  is  the  most  difficult  of  all  paces,  and  can 
be  correctly  acquired  only  after  much  patient  practice  ; 
but  it  Is  worth  doing  well.      Very  few  ladies  excel  in 
this  art,  for  the  simple  reason  that  they  do  not  care 
to  go  through  the  drudgery  of   it.      Some  ladies  are 
so  impatient  that  they  give  up   the  study  of  a  pace  as 
soon  as   they  can   stick   on   their   saddles.      How  few 
who  hunt  can  really  ride   well !     In    Leicestershire  a 
fine  horsewoman   remarked  to  me  that  several  ladies 
ride    hard    who    are    indifferent    horsewomen — a    fact 
which    I    think    we    may   see   demonstrated   in    every 
hunting-field  ;  but  what  is  worth  doing  at  all  is  surely 
worth   doing   well,  and   a  lady   should   strive  to  be  a 
good  horsewoman  as  well  as  a  plucky  rider.     When  a 
horse  increases  his  pace  without  being  ordered  to  do 
so,  he  should  be  at  once  checked  by  a  pull,  not  a  jerk, 
on  the  reins,  which  should  be  accompanied  by  a  word, 
such   as    "steady,"  uttered   in   a   warning,  determined 
tone  that  he  will  understand  ;  because  he  should  never 


THE   TROT. 


197 


be  allowed  to  take  the  initiative,  which  he  would  do  by 
breaking  into  a  canter.  The  trot  should  be  slow  at 
first,  until  the  rider  is  secure  in  her  seat,  when  it  may 
be  increased  gradually  to  its  fullest  limit.  The  faster 
a  horse  trots,  the  stronger  bearing  should  we  have  on 
the  reins,  but  when  we  find  the  pace  degenerating  into 


Fig.  96. — Rising  at  the  trot,  with  stirrup  too  long. 

a  rocking  movement,  the  animal  should  be  steadied 
and  collected,  because  he  is  exceeding  the  limit  of  his 
speed,  and  is  probably  trotting  with  his  fore  and 
cantering  with  his  hind  legs,  as  we  may  frequently  see 
with  horses  which  are  being  overdriven  in  harness. 
After  practice  has  been  acquired  in  trotting  in  a  for- 
ward direction,  and  the  rider  is  able  to  sit  with  ease 
and   grace,  she  should   trot   in   a  circle   to   the   right, 


198  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

taking  care  to  keep  a  good  grip,  incline  her  body 
inward,  and  guide  her  horse  with  precision.  The 
circle,  which  should  be  large,  may  then  be  made  to 
the  left,  which  will  more  strongly  test  the  rider's  seat, 
and  particularly  her  command  of  her  right  leg.  If  she 
does  not  ride  correctly,  this  circling  should  be  stopped, 
and  the  mistake  rectified  by  more  practice  in  a  forward 
direction. 

If  a  horse,  during  the  trot,  suddenly  breaks  off  into 
a  canter,  the  rider  should  sit  down  in  her  saddle  as  in 
the  walk,  and  grip  her  crutches  as  may  be  required. 
She  should  not  be  the  least  bit  alarmed  at  this  new 
pace,  supposing  that  she  has  not  been  taught  to 
canter,  for  all  she  will  have  to  do  will  be  to  sit  down 
and  allow  her  body  to  follow  the  movements  of  the 
horse  by  the  play  of  her  hip  joints,  as  explained  in  the 
first  lesson  (p.  159).  The  lady  who  has  practised 
leaning  back  (p.  158)  will  be  able  almost  at  once 
to  adapt  herself  to  the  requirements  of  the  canter  ;  but 
as  the  trot  is  the  subject  of  her  study,  the  horse  should 
be  instantly  pulled  up.  In  order  to  do  this  safely,  she 
should  lean  slightly  back  in  her  saddle,  and  stop  him 
gradually,  employing  her  usual  word  of  command,  and, 
while  keeping  her  hands  low  down  and  well  apart, 
exert  a  firm  and  fixed  pressure  on  the  reins.  The 
rider  must  never  allow  herself,  however  disobedient 
her  mount  may  be,  to  "job"  his  mouth  with  the  reins, 
or  to  use  them  at  any  time  as  a  means  of  punishment. 
Also  she  must  not  try  to  pull  him  up  suddenly,  but 
always  gradually,  in  order  that  he  may  not  strain  the 


THE    TROT. 


199 


ligaments  or  tendons  of  his  legs.  If  a  horse  hears 
and  understands  his  rider's  word  of  command,  he  will 
pull  up  in  a  manner  most  easy  to  himself.  In  prac- 
tising the  trot,  the  pupil  should  try  to  look  between 
her  horse's  ears,  and  should  keep  her  elbows  as  close 
to  her   sides    as    is    comfortable,    for    she    would    lose 


Fig.  97. — Canter,  with  right  leg  hooked  back,  and  stirrup  too  long. 

power  over  her  mount  by  turning  them  out.  If  she 
interferes  with  the  horse's  mouth,  and  does  not  keep 
her  reins  at  one  fixed  length,  the  animal  will  naturally 
become  unreliable  in  his  paces.  If  she  feels  a  pain  in 
her  side  or  gets  a  headache  while  trotting,  the  lesson 
for  that  day  should  be  at  once  stopped,  because  she 
will  not  be  able  to  ride  properly  if  she  is  enduring  any 
kind  of  discomfort.      Parents  should  pay  great  atten- 


200  FIRST   LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

tlon  to  this  matter,  especially  if  the  riding  instructor  is 
a  man,  because  a  girl  would  naturally  be  disinclined 
to  mention  any  personal  ailment  to  him.  Whoever 
the  teacher  may  be,  he  or  she  should  always  humour  a 
nervous  pupil,  and  not,  as  many  do,  start  with  the  idea 
of  getting  her  "shaken  into  her  seat,"  at  the  risk  of 
ruining  her  riding  nerve  for  ever  and  causing  her  to 
loathe  her  lessons.  If  a  pupil  during  her  first  trotting 
lesson  suffers  from  nervousness,  it  is  best  to  discon- 
tinue the  trot  and  finish  the  lesson  at  the  walk,  in 
order  to  settle  her  nerves  and  not  frighten  her  out  of 
her  w^its.  Her  next  trotting  lesson  should  be  com- 
menced at  the  walk,  and  an  occasional  efTort  be  made 
to  trot  a  short  distance,  so  that  she  may  gradually 
obtain  the  necessary  confidence,  and  an  encouraging 
word  should  always  be  given  her  when  she  does 
well. 

THE    CANTER. 

After  the  pupil  has  mastered  the  difficulties  of  the 
trot,  she  will  appreciate  the  enjoyable  motion  of  an 
easy  canter,  which  is  the  lady's  pace  par  excellence. 
In  the  canter  a  horse  should  lead  with  his  off  fore  leg, 
except  when  he  is  turning  or  circling  to  the  left,  and  a 
beginner  should  be  given  a  horse  or  pony  which  has 
been  trained  to  canter  correctly.  As  the  majority  of 
horses  are  not  taught  to  start  from  a  walk  to  a  canter, 
the  pupil  should  proceed  at  a  smart  trot,  and,  while 
holding  the  reins  somewhat  slack,  turn  her  horse's 
head  slightly  to  the  left,  and  touch  him   on  the  right 


THE   CANTER. 


201 


shoulder   with  her  whip,   to  make   him   break   into    a 
canter  with  his  off  fore  leading. 

She  should  sit  firmly  into  her  saddle,  should  lower 
her  hands  (Fig.  98)  more  than  in  the  trot,  and  should 
fix  the  speed  at  which  she  wishes  her  horse  to  proceed, 
while    keeping    an    easier    feeling   on  his  mouth  than 


p'ig.  98. — Good  seat  at  cauiei  or  gallop. 


when  trotting.  She  should  indulge  in  no  snatches  at 
the  reins,  but  should  always  preserve  one  fixed  length 
of  rein,  unless  she  requires  to  alter  the  pace.  The 
legs  should  remain  perfectly  still  as  in  the  walk,  the 
knees  should  be  kept  ready  to  grip  the  crutches  at  any 
required  moment,  and  the  body  from  the  hips  upward 
should  conform  to  the  motion  of  the  horse.  Figs.  98, 
99  and   100  show  a  nice  easy  position  in  the  different 


202  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

phases  of  the  canter.  It  Is  absolutely  essential  for 
a  lady  to  acquire  a  good  strong  seat  at  this  pace, 
because  It  Is  practically  the  same  as  In  the  gallop 
and  jump,  and  must  therefore  be  regarded  as  her 
hunting  seat.  One  of  the  first  things  to  remember 
In  the  canter  Is  to  allow  no  movement  of  the  seat, 
which  should  remain  nailed  as  It  were  to  the  saddle, 
the  hip  joints  supplying  all  the  necessary  motion  to 
the  body,  and,  as  I  have  already  said,  the  legs  should 
be  kept  perfectly  steady.  To  increase  the  adherence 
of  the  left  knee  against  the  flap  of  the  saddle,  the  left 
foot  should  be  carried  a  little  outwards  away  from  the 
horse's  side,  and  Its  pressure  chiefly  applied  to  the 
inner  side  of  the  stirrup-iron,  which  will  consequently 
be  more  depressed  than  the  outer  side.  It  has 
been  remarked  that  an  ugly  seat  at  the  canter  is 
a  sight  that  would  spoil  the  finest  landscape.  In  the 
world,  so  a  lady  who  desires  to  ride  well  should  not  be 
satisfied  if  she  can  merely  stick  on,  like  the  lady  in 
Fig.  loi,  but  should  try  to  ride  correctly.  Her  head 
will  perhaps  at  first  be  jerked  to  and  fro  like  a  "  vexed 
weathercock,"  but  practice  will  enable  her  to  overcome 
the  tendency  to  fix  the  muscles  of  her  neck  and  to  allow 
her  head  to  follow  the  motion  of  her  body.  She 
should  take  care  that  her  elbows  do  not  flap  up  and 
down  like  the  pinions  of  an  awkward  nestling  learning 
to  fly,  but  should  keep  them  close  to  her  sides,  where 
they  will  be  of  more  assistance  to  her  In  controlling  her 
horse.  In  cantering  on  a  circle  to  the  left,  a  horse 
should  of  course  lead  with  his  near  fore,  for  if  he  then 


THE    CANTER. 


203 


leads  with  his  off  fore  he  will  be  liable  to  cross  his  legs 
and  fall.  If  the  canter  is  false — that  is  to  say,  if  a  horse 
is  leading  with  the  wrong  leg — the  movements  of  the 
limbs  will  be  disunited,  and  the  rider  will  find  the 
motion  rough  and  unpleasant,  in  which  case  she  should 
pull  him  up  and  make  him  lead  with  the  correct  leg. 


Fig.  99. — Good  seat  at  canter  or  gallop. 

When  the  pupil  feels  herself  becoming  tired  or  un- 
steady in  her  seat,  she  should  give  the  horse  her  verbal 
signal  to  stop,  at  the  same  time  taking  an  even  and 
gradual  pull  at  the  reins.  As  I  have  already  said,  a 
horse  should  be  gradually  pulled  up  from  a  canter  into 
a  trot  or  walk.  Although  a  beginner's  mount  will,  or 
at  least  should,  allow  a  certain  amount  of  liberty  to  be 
taken  with  his  mouth,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
every    horse    will  go  better  with  a  rider  who  tries  to 


204  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

save  his  mouth  as  much  as  possible  when  conveying 
her  orders  to  him  by  means  of  the  reins.  When  he 
is  going  too  fast,  the  warning  word  "steady"  should 
always  accompany  any  restraining  action  of  the  reins, 
until  the  horse  is  accustomed  to  his  rider's  handling, 
when  the  pull  may  be  taken  in  silence.  As  the  voice 
is  a  valuable  "aid"  in  riding,  I  would  strongly  advise 
the  inexperienced  horsewoman  never  to  speak  to  her 
horse  when  he  is  at  work,  except  when  giving  him  an 
order.  He  will  then  be  able  to  understand  the  mean- 
ino-  of  her  words  of  command.  Particular  attention 
should  be  paid  to  the  observance  of  this  rule,  for  a 
lady  who  is  incessantly  talking  to  her  horse,  reproving 
or  caressing  as  the  case  may  be,  renders  him  more  or 
less  indifferent  to  the  voice  as  a  means  of  control  on  an 
emergency.  After  he  has  carried  her  well,  a  few  pats 
on  the  neck  will  establish  a  feeling  of  good  fellow- 
ship between  horse  and  rider,  and  the  animal  will 
always  regard  these  caresses,  and  the  kindly  words 
that  accompany  them,  as  a  sure  sign  of  his  mistress's 
approval.  After  she  has  dismounted  she  may  "make 
much "  of  him,  but  while  on  his  back  it  is  wiser  to 
reserve  her  voice  for  giving  orders.  A  "  funky  "  rider 
as  a  rule  keeps  continually  talking  to  her  mount,  and 
the  animal  gets  to  know  that  she  is  nervous,  and 
soon  becomes  the  master.  A  horse,  like  a  domestic 
servant,  will  not  be  obedient  and  respectful  unless  he 
thoroughly  understands  that  his  first  duty  is  to  obey. 
Neither  a  horse  nor  a  servant  who  fails  to  recognise 
this  fact  is  worth  his  keep.     Every  girl  who  is  learning 


THE   CANTER. 


205 


to  ride,  naturally  desires  to  establish  a  feeling  of  friend- 
ship between  herself  and  her  mount,  because  she 
knows  that  he  can  get  rid  of  her  off  his  back  any  time 
he  likes  ;  but  she  should  remember  that  a  horse,  like  a 
servant,  is  always  ready  to  take  a  liberty,  and  there- 
fore any  kindness  she  may  bestow  on  him  should  be 


Fig.  100. — Good  seat  at  canter  or  gallop. 

tempered  with  discretion  and  forethought  as  to  its 
future  results.  She  may  pet  him  as  much  as 
she  likes,  but  she  should  never  allow  him  to  have 
his  own  way,  in  opposition  to  her  expressed  com- 
mand. The  adoption  of  a  conciliatory  method 
with  horses  which  deliberately  refuse  to  obey  orders 
is  f^ital,  because  the  lady  who  takes  that  course 
literally  allows  the  reins  of  authority  to  slip  through 
her  fingers. 


2o6  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING 

GALLOP. 

An  experienced  hunting  man  remarked  to  me  that  a 
large  number  of  ladies  who  hunt,  fail  in  ability  to  make 
their  horses  gallop,  which  is  a  pace  never  taught  by 
riding  masters.  The  gallop  is  not  only  necessary  to 
acquire,  especially  by  a  lady  who  intends  to  hunt,  but 
it  improves  the  strength  of  seat  more  than  any  other 
gait.  Besides,  a  rider  who  is  unaccustomed  to  it,  is 
always  in  danger  of  coming  to  "grief,"  if  her  horse 
breaks  away  with  her,  either  from  being  startled  or 
from  mere  "  light-heartedness."  For  a  lady's  first 
lesson  in  galloping,  a  piece  of  nice  soft  smooth  ground, 
free  from  stones  and  holes,  and,  say,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
or  three  furlongs  in  length,  should  be  selected.  The 
pupil  should  be  provided  with  a  rather  sluggish  horse, 
which  requires  some  "  riding  up  to  his  bridle,"  and 
should  be  told  to  canter  her  horse  at  his  highest  speed, 
for  the  canter  and  gallop  merge  imperceptibly  into  each 
other.  The  seat  in  the  canter  is  precisely  the  same  as 
that  in  the  gallop,  except  that  when  the  horse  is  going- 
very  fast,  a  lady  will  find  it  easier  to  lean  slightly 
forward,  take  a  good  steady  hold  of  the  reins,  and  keep 
her  hands  in  one  fixed  position,  as  low  down  as 
possible.  If  she  has  any  difficulty  in  getting  her  mount 
to  extend  himself,  the  instructor  should  ride  with  her 
and  set  the  pace.  When  the  lady's  horse  is  really 
galloping,  he  should  slacken  speed  a  little,  and  let  the 
animal  pass  him,  in  order  that  the  pupil  may  learn  to 
ride  a  gallop  without  a  lead.      The  chances  are  that  her 


GALLOP.  207 

horse  will  want  to  follow  the  example  of  his  companion 
and  go  slower  ;  but  she  should  keep  him  going  at  the 
same  fast  pace  by  a  touch  with  the  w^hip  and  a  click 
of  the  tongue,  until  she  has  arrived  at  the  end  of  the 
specified  distance.  As  a  fast  gallop  is  very  trying  to 
a  horse's  legs,  it  should  be  limited  to  occasional  short 
spins  on  soft  and  smooth  ground.    In  the  next  lesson  the 


Fig.  lOi. — Bad  seat  ;  right  leg  hooked  back,  stirrup  too  long,  and  foot 

"home." 

instructor  should  assume  the  lead,  and  tell  his  pupil  to 
pull  her  horse  up  at  a  given  distance,  while  he  gallops 
away  from  her.  This  would  be  excellent  practice  for 
testing  her  power  of  horse  control,  because  in  hunting- 
it  is  of  vital  importance  that  she  should  always  have 
her  mount  in  hand,  and  be  able  to  stop  him  when 
necessary,  even  if  a  crowd  of  horses  are  galloping  away 


208  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

in  front  of  her.  To  do  this  when  riding  at  a  fast 
gallop,  she  should  gradually  slacken  his  speed,  using 
the  word  "  steady,"  and  taking  an  even  pull  on  the 
reins.  It  may  be  necessary  for  her  to  ride  at  this  pace 
with  a  double  bridle  (curb  and  snaffle).  Fig.  loo 
shows  how  the  curb  and  snaffle  reins  should  be  held.  I 
have  not  advocated  giving  a  beginner  a  bit  and  bridoon, 
because  in  hunting  she  should  always  ride  with  the 
snaffle,  and  reserve  the  curb  for  use  in  cases  of  emer- 
gency, such  as  steadying  her  mount  when  galloping- 
over  plough  or  heavy  ground,  or  in  slackening  his 
speed.  The  pupil  who  is  learning  to  gallop  should  try 
the  effect  of  the  curb  in  stopping  her  horse  while 
another  horse  is  galloping  away  from  her.  As  it  is  a 
severe  bit,  she  would  be  wise  to  "  feel "  her  horse's 
mouth  with  it  only  just  enough  to  induce  him  to 
slacken  his  speed  according  to  her  indication.  It 
should  be  used  with  the  object  of  reminding  him  that 
it  is  in  his  mouth.  If  he  does  not  obey  the  hint,  the 
lady  should  take  a  stronger  pull,  and  be  ready  to  release 
her  pressure  w^hen  she  feels  her  horse  restrained  by  its 
influence,  and  then  she  should  ride  on  the  snaffle.  My 
husband,  in  Riding  and  Htmting,  says  : — ''  With  a 
double  bridle  we  may  ride  on  the  snaffle  as  much  as  we 
like,  and  keep  the  curb  for  emergencies  ;  although, 
from  not  knowing  how  to  hold  the  reins  properly,  men 
frequently  get  into  the  habit  of  always  riding  on  both 
reins,  and  then  they  blame  the  double  bridle  for  being 
too  severe.  ...  A  curb  is  indispensable  with 
many  horses  for  crossing  an   English  hunting  country 


JUMPING.  209 

In  good  style.  We  must  also  remember  that  out 
hunting,  and  with  large  fields,  like  what  we  see  with 
the  Quorn  and  Pytchley,  the  ability  to  obtain  instant 
control  over  one's  mount,  even  In  the  midst  of  exciting 
surroundings,  Is  essential  for  the  safety  of  one's  self, 
one's  horse,  and  one's  companions,  and  for  avoiding 
Interference  with  sport.  ...  I  have  known  some 
horses,  whose  mouths  had  evidently  been  spoiled  by  In- 
judicious, if  not  cruel,  treatment,  that  would  go  quietly 
only  in  a  snaffle."  Whyte  Melville,  discussing  the  merits 
of  the  snaffle,  says : — ''This  bit,  the  Invention  of  common- 
sense  going  straight  to  its  object,  while  lying  easily  on 
the  tongue  and  bars  of  a  horse's  mouth,  and  affording 
control  without  pain,  is  perfection  of  its  kind."  Of  the 
double  bridle  he  says  : — "  I  need  hardly  explain  to  my 
reader  that  it  loses  none  of  the  advantages  belonging 
to  the  snaffle,  while  it  gains  in  the  powerful  leverage  01 
the  curb  a  restraint  few  horses  are  resolute  enough  to 
defy.  In  skilful  hands,  varying,  yet  harmonising,  the 
manipulation  of  both,  as  a  musician  plays  treble  and 
bass  on  the  pianoforte.  It  would  seem  to  connect  the 
rider's  thought  with  the  horse's  movement,  as  if  an 
electric  chain  passed  through  wrist,  and  finger  and 
mouth,  from  the  head  of  the  one  to  the  heart  of  the 
other." 

JUMPING. 

After  the  pupil  has  mastered  the  art  of  trotting, 
cantering,  and  galloping,  and  understands  how  to 
handle  and   control    her    mount   with  correctness    and 

14 


2IO  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

precision  at  these  paces,  she  should  be  given  a  lesson 
in  riding  over  fences.  We  may  put  up  a  small  hurdle, 
or  some  easy  obstacle,  in  an  enclosed  place,  and  tell  her 
to  canter  her  horse  straight  to  the  centre  of  it  and  jump 
it.  All  that  she  need  be  instructed  to  do,  is  to  give  the 
horse  his  head  when  he  is  rising  at  the  jump,  and  to 
lean  well  back  when  he  is  about  to  land  over  it.  By 
giving  her  horse  his  head,  I  mean  that  she  is  to  extend 
her  arms  to  their  utmost  length,  and  bring  them  again 
into  position  after  he  has  landed.  Fig.  102  shows  a  lady 
leaning  back  and  extending  her  arms  at  a  fence.  The 
pupil  will  not  require  to  alter  the  length  of  her  reins 
when  riding  over  fences,  presuming,  of  course,  that  she 
has  been  taught  from  the  first  to  keep  a  nice  easy  feel 
on  her  horse's  mouth.  She  should  be  careful  to  leave 
the  curb  alone,  and  always  ride  over  fences  on  the 
snaffle.  The  lady  in  Fig.  102  is  riding  only  with  a 
snaffle,  and  with  a  nice  easy  length  of  rein.  I  must 
pause  here  to  draw  attention  to  the  fine  riding  of  the 
lady,  Miss  Emmie  Harding,  of  Mount  Vernon,  New 
Zealand,  who  is  jumping  this  formidable  wire  fence  on 
her  hunter  Marengo.  Our  hard  riding  Colonial  sisters 
have  nothing  to  learn  from  us  in  the  matter  of  sitting 
over  stiff  fences,  even  high  wire  barricades  that  would 
certainly  stop  a  whole  field  in  the  Shires.  Some 
critical  ladies  may  consider  that  her  left  foot  is  carried 
too  far  back,  but  this  is  not  the  case,  as  she  is  riding 
with  her  stirrup  at  the  ball  of  the  foot  and  obtaining 
her  grip  of  the  leaping  head  without  depressing  the 
left   knee.      When  we  require  to  obtain  the  maximum 


JUMPING. 


211 


amount  of  grip,  as  in  jumping,  we  instinctively  draw 
back  the  left  foot,  as  shewn  in  Fig.  102,  in  order  that 
the  ankle  joint  may  exert  its  utmost  power  in  pressing 
the  leg  against   the  leaping  head.      In    Fig.    104   the 


P'ig.  102. — Miss  Emmie  Harding  jumping  wire. 

position  of  the  legs  is  identical  with  Fig.  102.  We 
can  see  that  Miss  Harding  rides  with  her  right  leg 
forward,  in  the  manner  I  have  advocated.  The  rider 
should  take  a  good  grip  of  her  crutches,  and  keep  her 


14 


* 


212  FIRST   LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

legs  perfectly  steady  and  close  to  her  horse.  She  should 
always  ride  huii  straight,  not  sideways,  at  his  fences. 
There  should  not  be  the  slightest  movement  of  her 
seat  in  the  saddle.  As  I  have  already  explained,  she 
should  try  to  imagine  that  she  is  nailed  down  to 
the  saddle  and  cannot  be  shifted,  and  that  the  move- 
ment of  her  body  must  come  from  the  play  of  the  hip 
joints. 

If  her  small  brother  possesses  a  rocking-horse,  she 
should  mount  it  and  rock  herself  on  it,  if  she  does 
not  entirely  understand  what  is  meant  by  ''  the  play  of 
the  hip  joints."  If  she  rides  over  her  first  fence  incor- 
rectly, she  should  not  be  allowed  to  do  so  a  second 
time  without  being  put  right.  It  would,  therefore,  be 
advisable  for  her  to  have  her  skirt  pinned  back,  in 
order  that  the  instructor,  who  should  be  standing  by 
the  fence  at  the  near  side,  may  see  exactly  how  she 
obtains  her  grip.  It  is  obvious  that  this  lesson  in 
jumping  should  be  given  either  by,  or  under  the  super- 
vision of  a  person  experienced  in  side-saddle  riding. 
The  pupil  may  be  allowed  to  hold  a  whip,  but  she 
should  not  use  it,  for  she  might  acquire  the  bad  habit 
of  hitting  her  horse  every  time  he  jumps  a  fence.  The 
whip  in  hunting  should  be  kept  for  use  at  specially  big 
fences,  and  as  a  reminder  to  the  horse  that  he  must 
exert  his  best  efforts  to  clear  them  with  safety.  Even 
then  it  is  employed  as  an  aid,  but  not  as  a  means  of 
inflicting  punishment.  No  good  horsewoman  cuts  her 
horse  about  the  body  with  a  whip.  If  the  fence  has 
been  nicely  jumped,  the  pupil  extending  her  arms  pro- 


JUMPING. 


213 


perly  and  keeping  her  hands  low,  we  may  "  make 
much  of  her,"  and  that  will  recompense  her  for  any 
uncomplimentary  things  we  may  have  said  about 'her 


Fig,  103. — Maximum  amount  of  pressure  on  leaping  head 

riding.  After  the  small  fence  has  been  jumped  nicely, 
it  may  be  replaced  at  the  next  lesson  by  one  somewhat 
higher  ;  and  when  the  lady  has  had  practice  over  it  on 


214  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

her  steady  horse,  she  may  ride  another  mount  who  is 
a  bigger  jumper.  No  extra  instructions  need  be  given 
to  her  except  that  the  higher  the  fence,  the  more  must 
she  lean  back  on  landing.  This  jumping  practice  will 
probably  teach  her  to  always  lean  back  when  riding 
over  a  drop  fence,  or  going  down  a  steep  hill.  Some 
ignorant  people  shout,  "  Sit  back,"  when  a  lady  is 
riding  at  a  fence  ;  they  should  say,  "  Lean  back," 
which  means  quite  another  thing. 

If  a  lady,  when  taking  her  riding  lessons,  finds  her- 
self in  any  way  uncomfortable  in  her  saddle,  she 
should  at  once  stop  and  have  the  fault,  whatever  it 
may  be,  rectified.  She  should  always  be  careful,  when 
dressing  for  riding,  to  see  that  all  her  garments  are 
put  on  correctly,  so  that  nothing  may  get  displaced 
and  cause  discomfort  when  she  is  in  the  saddle.  II 
this  does  happen,  she  should  dismount,  if  possible, 
and  arrange  matters  without  delay  ;  otherwise  she 
may  be  severely  cut  or  rubbed  and  be  unable  to  ride 
again  for  some  time.  After  she  has  been  taught  to 
ride,  she  should  be  given  a  nice  horse  and  a  safe 
jumper,  for  she  well  deserves  one,  and  will  be  able  to 
ride  him.  She  should  hack  him  along  quiet  roads  and 
bridle  paths  and  learn  to  open  gates  and  go  through 
them  nicely,  always  shutting  them  after  her. 

REINING    BACK. 

As  a  lady  will  be  unable  to  open  gates  correctly 
unless  her  horse  will  rein  back  readily,  it  will  be 
necessary   for   her  to  obtain    practice    in    this    useful 


REINING    BACK. 


215 


exercise.  A  horse  which  has  to  carry  a  woman  should 
have  previously  been  taught  to  rein  back,  chiefly  by 
word  of  command  and  with  only  slight  indications  of 
the  reins,  because  in  the  rein  back   a  lady  is  gready 


Fig.  104. — Position  of  legs  in  jumping. 

handicapped  by  her  want  of  control  over  the  animal's 
hind  quarters.  In  this  movement  we  should  above  all 
things  avoid  leaning  back  and  putting  an  equal  feeling 
on  both  reins,  for  that  would  be  the  very  thing  to 
prompt  him  to  rear.      It  is  evident  that  as  a  horse  has 


2i6  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

to  be  light  in  front  when  going  forward,  he  should  be 
light  behind  when  reining  back.      Therefore,   the  rider 
should  lean  forward.     Also,  she  should  feel  the  reins 
alternately,  turning  the  horse's  head  towards  the  fore 
leg  which  is  more  advanced   than  the  other  fore  leg. 
When  she  takes  a  steady  pull  with  her  right  rein  and 
finds  that  the  horse  draws  back  his  off-fore,  she  should 
slacken  the  right  rein  and  take  a  similar  steady  pull 
with  the  left  rein  to  induce  him  to  bring  back  his  near 
fore,  and  so  on.      During  this  alternate  feeling  of  the 
reins  she  should  keep  her  hands  as  low  as  practicable, 
so  that  the  horse  may  lower  his  head  and  put  weight 
on  his  forehand,  and  consequently  facilitate  the  move- 
ments of  his  hind  legs.      For  each  step  the  lady  should 
use  the  words  of  command,  "rein  back,"  in  a  decided 
tone  of  voice,  supposing  of  course  that  the  animal  has 
been  taught  the  meaning  of  this  verbal  order.      How- 
ever well   a  lady  may  carry  out   these   directions,  she 
may  not  effect  her  purpose  with  precision,  because  the 
side  pulls  of  the  respective  reins  will  prompt  the  horse, 
if  he  has  not  had  previous  training,  to  bring  round  his 
hind  quarters    in  the  opposite   direction.       The  rider 
can  prevent  him  doing  this  to  the  right  by  pressure  of 
the  whip  on  his  off-fiank  ;  but  owing  to  the  necessary 
shortness  of  her  stirrup,  she  will  not  be  able  to  prevent 
him  from  swinging  his  hind  quarters  round  to  the  left. 
Here,  the  fact  of  a  man  having  a  leg  on  each  side  of 
his  horse  and  fairly  long  stirrups,   makes  him  far  more 
capable   of  reining  back  a  horse  properly,  than  a  lady 
seated  on   one  side   of  the   animal.     A    man    obtains 


REINING   BACK.  217 

command  of  a  horse's  hind  quarters  by  the  pressure  of 
his  legs,  especially  when  the  feet  are  drawn  back.  As 
horses  very  much  dislike  reining  back,  I  w^ould  caution 
the  rider  not  to  disgust  her  animal  by  continuing  it 
for  too  long  a  time.  He  should  be  occasionally  reined 
back  a  couple  of  times  for  four  or  five  paces,  and  after 
each  rein  back  should  be  allowed  to  go  forward,  and 
he  should  be  rewarded  for  his  obedience  by  a  few  pats 
on  the  neck  and  some  words  of  encouragement.  If 
the  animal's  temper  be  upset  by  too  much  reining 
back,  he  will  probably  adopt  the  dangerous  habit  of 
running  back,  when  he  would  be  very  liable  to  fall,  or 
he  may  rear.  As  inconsiderate  people  will  persist  in 
taking  kickers  into  the  hunting  field,  every  lady  who 
desires  to  hunt  should  be  able  to  rein  back  her  horse, 
in  order  to  remove  him,  if  possible,  from  the  dangerous 
vicinity  of  an  animal  whose  tail  is  adorned  with  a  red 
bow,  which  is  a  sign  that  he  is  a  kicker,  and  not  that 
he  has  been  recently  vaccinated. 

Her  next  lessons  should  be  devoted  to  obtaining 
practice  in  jumping  various  kinds  of  fences,  and  in  riding 
up  and  down  hill,  over  ridge  and  furrow  and  difficult 
ground,  which  we  will  deal  with  in  another  chapter. 
A  lady  should  remember  to  always  keep  an  eye  on  her 
mount,  and  never  let  her  attention  be  diverted  from 
the  order  of  his  going,  however  much  she  may  be 
otherwise  occupied.  To  people  who  have  had  much 
practice  in  riding  various  horses,  this  forward  outlook 
becomes  almost  automatic. 

I    would    advise  my    imaginary   pupil    to  learn  the 


2i8  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    RIDING. 

following  ancient  rhyme  by  heart,  and  to  observe  its 
teaching,  although  it  is  not  entirely  applicable  to 
ladies — 

"Your  head  and  your  heart  keep  boldly  up, 
Your  hands  and  your  heels  keep  down, 
Your  knees  keep  close  to  your  horse's  sides 
And  your  elbows  close  to  your  own." 


219 


CHAPTER    XL 
RIDING    ACROSS    COUNTRY. 

"  Made  "  fences — Practice  over  natural  fences. 
"  MADE  "    FENCES. 

It  is  necessary  for  a  lady  who  intends  to  hunt,  to 
obtain  as  much  practice  as  possible  over  the  various 
kinds  of  fences  which  she  may  have  to  negotiate  when 
hunting,  before  she  appears  in  the  field.  Although 
ladies  living  in  the  country  may  have  an  opportunity  of 
obtaining  practice  over  natural  fences  of  gradually 
increasing  size,  it  is  generally  more  convenient,  and 
perhaps  safer,  to  utilise  ''  made "  fences  in  a  field  or 
paddock.  These  obstacles  need  not  be  very  high  to 
commence  with,  but  they  should  assume  various  forms, 
due  prominence  being  given  to  the  most  common  kind 
of  fence  encountered  in  the  country  in  which  the  rider 
desires  to  hunt.  Two  or  more  specimens  of  this 
particular  obstacle  may  be  included  in  the  artificial 
collection.  To  imitate  Leicestershire  fences  we  may 
make,  for  the  first  jump,  the  nearest  approach  we  can 
to   an  ordinary  hedge ;    the  second,    a   hedge    with   a 


220  RIDING   ACROSS    COUNTRY. 

ditch  on  the  taklng-off  side  ;  the  third,  a  post  and  rail 
fence ;    and  the  fourth,   another    hedge,  with    a  ditch 
on    both    sides.      We    may  follow  that   with   a    "  cut- 
and-laid "    fence    with   a    ditch    on    the    take-off  side  ; 
and  a  stone   wall,  made  up  of  loose  stones  or  bricks. 
In    the    middle    of    the    field,    where    the    rider    can 
obtain  a  good    run   at   it,   we   may   construct   a  water 
jump.      The    other    fences    should    be    built    by    the 
side   of  the  boundary   fence  of  the  paddock  or  field, 
which   may  have  to  be  artificially  heightened  for  the 
purpose,  but  not  supplied  with  wings  ;  for  in  hunting, 
fences  are  not  protected  for  us  in  that  way.      The  pupil 
should  first  learn  to  jump  them  riding  from  left  to  right, 
as  horses  generally   refuse   to  the   left,    and   that  side 
being  blocked  by  the  boundary  fence,  the  horse  will  be 
more    liable   to    go   straight.       The   animal   should,   of 
course,  first  be  ridden  over  them  by  the  teacher  in  the 
presence  of  the  pupil,   w^ho  will   see  exactly  at  which 
jump  her  mount  may  be  likely  to  give  trouble.      She 
should  also    observe  the  pace  at  which  the  animal  is 
ridden,  especially  at  the  water  jump.      If  he   is   slug- 
gish, it  would  be  wise  for  the  lady  to  give  him  a  touch 
with  the  whip  when  riding   at  timber,  which  he  must 
not    chance,    and    at    cut-and-laid    fences,  which    must 
also  be  jumped  cleanly  ;   for  if  a  horse  gets  a  foot  in 
the    top    binder,    the    chances    are    that    he   will    fall. 
Besides,  he  must  exert  himself  to   clear  the  ditch  on 
one  or    both    sides.       He  should   be  ridden    over    the 
course   at   a  canter,   and  allowed    to  jump   the  fences 
without    interference    from    his    rider,   for    he   will  try 


"MADE"    FENCES.  221 

his  best  to  avoid  fallinof.  He  should  be  ridden  fast 
at  water,  as  a  certain  amount  of  speed  is  necessary 
for  jumping  length  ;  but  he  should  not  be  taken  at  full 
gallop,  as  he  would  then  be  too  much  extended  to 
raise  himself  in  his  spring.  If  the  correct  pace  could 
be  gauged  to  a  nicety,  I  should  say  it  is  just  a  shade 
faster  than  a  hand  gallop.  Horses,  as  a  rule,  jump 
water  badly,  perhaps  for  the  very  good  reason  that 
they  seldom  get  schooled  at  this  kind  of  obstacle. 

A  line  of  ''  made  "  fences  in  a  field  or  paddock  would 
have  to  be  comparatively  close  together,  say,  with 
intervals  of  not  less  than  30  yards  between  them  ; 
although  double  that  distance  would  be  much  better. 
A  lady  riding  over  these  obstacles  could  hardly  help 
going  at  the  same  speed,  and,  therefore,  there  would 
be  but  little  opportunity  for  teaching  her  how  she 
ought  to  regulate  her  pace  for  each  of  them,  which 
would  not  be  the  case  if  they  were  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
or  so  apart.  One  advantage  of  riding  over  a  line 
of  "made"  jumps  is,  that  it  strengthens  a  rider's  seat, 
for  no  sooner  has  she  landed  over  one  fence,  than  she 
must  be  ready  to  negotiate  the  next  one.  She  should 
remember  to  keep  her  hands  low  down  and  as  steady 
as  possible,  carefully  avoiding  shifting  in  the  saddle, 
flourishing  her  whip,  checking  her  mount  with  the 
reins,  shouting  to  him,  or  committing  any  other  act 
which  is  likely  to  distract  his  attention  from  the  fence 
in  front  of  him.  The  horse  given  to  the  pupil  to 
ride  should  be  an  experienced  hunter,  and,  in  that 
case,   she  may  safely  trust   him   to  carry  her  over  the 


-7 -7 -7 


RIDING   ACROSS    COUNTRY. 


various    leaps   without  any   interference  whatever.      If 
he  takes  them  a  shade  faster  than  did  the  animal  on 
which  she  rode  over  her  first  fence,  she  should  not  try 
to  check  him.      As  it  is  impossible  for  her  to  know  the 
exact  moment  he  is  going  to  take  off,  she  should  give 
him  his  head,  when  he  is  coming  up  to  the  obstacle, 
and  be  ready  to  lean  well  back  as  he  is  landing  over 
it.      If  a  lady  is  riding  with   her  reins  too  short,   and 
the  horse,   in  jumping,  makes  a  sudden  snatch  to  get 
more   rein,   she  should  at  once  let  them  slip   through 
her  fingers,   and  learn,   from    that    experience,   to   ride 
with  the  reins  suf^ciently  long  to  enable  her  to  have 
an  easy  feel  of  her  horse's  mouth,  without  in  any  way 
hanging  on  to  his  head.    Some  inexperienced  ladies  get 
alarmed  when  a  horse  is  about  to  take  off,  and  check 
him  with  the  reins,  which  is  a  most  dangerous  proceed- 
ing.     I   have  known  the  safest  of  jumpers  pulled  into 
their  fences  and  caused  to  fall  by  the  adoption  of  such 
tactics.       A    lady    should    remember     that    when    her 
mount  is  going  straight  for  a  fence,  with  the  intention 
of  getting  safely  to  the  other  side,  any  interference  on 
her  part  will  cause  him  to  either  blunder  badly,  or,  if 
the  jump  is  a  fixture,  to  fall.     If  a  horse  slackens  speed 
when  near  a  fence,   and   suddenly  runs  out,  his  rider 
should  let  him  refuse  and  take  him  at  it  again.      I  once 
got  a  very  bad  fall  through   turning  a  horse  quickly 
at  a  fence  which  he  was  in  the  act  of  refusing.      We 
were  close   to   the  jump,   he  had  no  time  to  take  off 
properly,  so   he  breasted    the    obstacle,    a   stifT  timber 
jump,  and  blundered  on  to  his  head.      That  taught  me 


"MADE"    FENCES.  223 

a  salutary  lesson,  and  therefore  I  would  warn  all  ladies 
to  let  their  horses  run  out  when  the  animals  have  taken 
the  first  step  in  the  wrong  direction,  as  it  is  then  too 
late  to  keep  them  straight  with  safety,  and  a  sudden 
turn,  with  the  object  of  trying  to  do  so,  is  very  apt  to 
make  a  horse  blunder. 

When  a  touch  with  the  whip  is  given  to  remind  a 
horse  that  he  has  to  clear  a  big  ditch  on  the  landing 
side,  or  when  riding  at  timber,  it  should  be  used  on 
the  off  flank  by  a  turn  of  the  wrist,  but  without 
jerking  the  reins.  The  whip,  as  I  have  before  re- 
marked, should  be  employed  as  an  aid  and  not  as  a 
means  of  inflicting  pain.  A  lady  should  not  bustle  her 
horse  at  his  fences,  except  perhaps  at  water,  for  every 
horse  has  his  own  pace  at  which  he  prefers  to  jump, 
and  the  clever  sort  will  always  manage  to  put  in  a 
short  stride,  or  take  a  longer  one  at  the  last  moment, 
if  they  find  that  the  strides  they  are  using  will  not 
bring  them  up  to  the  correct  spot  from  which  to  take 
off.  In  hunting,  the  fences  are  generally  taken  at  a 
canter,  and  the  pace  is  increased  in  galloping  over  the 
open  ground.  Horses  are  thus  what  is  called  "  steadied" 
at  their  fences,  but  the  pull  should  not  be  made  nearer 
the  fence  than  30  yards.  When  a  lady  has  made  up 
her  mind  to  ride  at  a  fence,  she  should  think  of  nothing- 
else  but  getting  over  it.  Some  women  go  at  their 
fences  in  such  a  half-hearted,  irresolute  manner  that 
their  horses  learn  to  refuse.  Too  much  practice  over 
"made"  fences  is  monotonous  to  the  rider  and  hateful 
to   her  horse,    who  is    only    too    apt    to    become    "re- 


224  RIDING   ACROSS   COUNTRY. 

luctant "  In  such  cases.  Hence,  if  the  lady  has  ridden 
over  the  fences  nicely,  from  left  to  right  and  from 
right  to  left,  and  taken  her  artificial  brook  at  a  good 
pace,  she  should  not  be  required  to  do  any  more 
jumping  on  that  occasion.  The  ground  near  the 
fences  should  be  laid  down  with  tan,  stable  litter,  or 
anything  else  which  will  make  the  falling  soft,  in  the 
event  of  the  pupil  having  a  tumble.  It  would  be 
better  for  a  lady  not  to  be  given  a  lead  in  riding  over 
these  "made"  obstacles,  because  it  is  necessary  for  her 
to  have  as  much  practice  as  possible,  at  first,  in 
controlling  her  mount  without  assistance. 

PRACTICE    OVER    NATURAL    FENCES. 

A  lady  who  has  gone  through  the  hard  drudgery  of 
learning  to  sit  well,  will  be  repaid  for  her  efforts  on 
finding  herself  able  to  ride  with  ease  over  natural 
fences.  Her  companion  should  select  the  obstacles, 
and  give  a  lead,  but  the  pupil  should  not  send  her 
horse  at  a  fence  until  she  has  seen  her  pilot 
safely  landed  and  going  away  from  it.  She  should 
occasionally  assume  the  lead,  in  order  that  she  may 
not  always  rely  on  the  guidance  of  others.  Unless 
there  is  a  paucity  of  obstacles,  no  fence  should  be 
jumped  twice,  and  the  companion  or  attendant  should 
be  a  man  who  knows  the  country,  so  that  he  may 
direct  his  pupil  to  obstacles  without  going  out  of  the 
way  to  meet  them.  The  more  these  fences  are  treated 
as  adventitious  circumstances,  and  not  the  main  object 
of  the  ride,  the  steadier  and  more  safely  will  a  horse 


PRACTICE    OVER    NATURAL   FENCES.      225 

iump  them.  A  lady  should  ride  as  many  different 
horses  as  she  can,  and  in  company,  for  when  four  or 
five  horses  are  cantering  together,  the  lady's  mount 
will,  doubtless,  be  sufficiently  excited  to  require 
steadying  In  approaching  his  fences,  and  she  may  then 
learn  to  gauge  the  distance  at  which  to  take  a  pull  at 
him.  Those  who  are  riding  with  her  should  require 
her  to  w^alt  her  turn  at  the  only  practicable  place  In  a 
fence,  as  she  would  have  to  do  when  hunting,  to  pull 
her  horse  up  to  a  halt,  and  to  send  him  at  his  fence 
with  a  run  of  only  a  few  strides.  She  should  also 
practise  trotting  her  horse  up  to  a  fence  to  see  what  is 
on  the  other  side  of  it,  and,  if  it  is  negotiable,  she 
should  turn  him  away  from  it,  give  him  a  short  run  at 
it,  and  jump  it.  After  she  has  obtained  as  much 
practice  as  possible,  on  different  horses,  over  various 
kinds  of  natural  fences,  and  has  shown  ability  to 
control  her  mount  at  a  gallop,  and  when  excited  by  the 
presence  of  other  horses  galloping  in  front  of  him,  she 
should  be  considered  competent  to  commence  her 
hunting  career,  and  take  her  place  in  the  field  at  the 
beginning  of  the  cub-hunting  season.  She  should 
remember  on  all  occasions  of  difficulty  and  danger 
to  keep  a  cool  head  and  trust  to  the  honour  of 
her  mount.  A  good  horsewoman,  even  If  she  has 
had  no  experience  in  hunting,  will  not  be  likely  to 
Incur  disgrace  by  wild  and  incompetent  riding,  for, 
having  been  accustomed  to  keep  her  mount 
under  thorough  control,  she  will  carefully  avoid 
spoiling    the  sport    of   others,   while  seeing    as    much 

15 


226  RIDING   ACROSS    COUNTRY. 

of  it  as  she  can  In  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  manner. 
A  lady  should  remember  that  strangers  are  not 
hailed  with  delight  in  any  English  hunting  field  ;  but 
when  they  are  found  to  be  competent  to  take  care  of 
themselves  and  their  horses,  they  are  far  more  kindly 
received,  than  if  they  go  there  as  recruits  in  the  great 
slipshod  brigade. 


2  2/ 


CHAPTER   Xn. 
HACKING. 

It  Is  necessary  for  a  lady  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the 
rules  of  the  road  before  riding  in  public,  especially  if  she 
be  attended  by  a  gTOom,who  would  of  course  ride  behind 
her.  Persons,  whether  riding  or  driving,  when  pro- 
ceeding in  opposite  directions,  pass  each  other  on 
the  near  (left-hand)  side  of  the  road,  and  when  going 
in  the  same  direction,  the  more  speedy  party  goes 
by  the  other  on  the  off  (right)  side.  A  male  companion 
w^ould  ride  on  her  off  side.  In  military  riding,  the 
rule  when  meeting  a  rider  proceeding  in  the  opposite 
direction  is   "bridle  hand  to  bridle  hand." 

When  the  young  horsewoman  assumes  charge  of  her 
mount  in  the  open,  she  should  always  keep  a  watchful 
eye  on  the  road  in  front  of  her,  in  order  to  avoid  as 
far  as  possible  dangerous  ground  and  approaching 
vehicles.  Her  eyes  and  ears  should  enable  her  to 
mentally  note  objects  coming  behind  her,  as  well  as 
those  on  either  side,  such  as,  for  instance,  loose  horses 
or  cattle  in  fields,  the  approach  of  trains,  etc.,  in  order 
that  she  may  be  prepared  for  any  sudden  movement  on 

15* 


228  HACKING. 

the  part  of  her  animal.  Loose  horses  which  we  meet 
in  fields  have  such  a  playful  way  of  galloping  up 
behind,  and  frequently  taking  great  liberties,  that  it 
is  often  necessary  to  get  into  the  next  enclosure  as 
quickly  as  possible.  Even  when  quietly  cantering 
on  grass  by  the  side  of  the  road,  the  vagaries  of 
loose  horses  or  cattle,  or  even  the  sudden  flight  ol 
birds  on  the  other  side  of  the  dividing  boundary,  may 
cause  a  rider  to  be  taken  by  surprise,  if  she  has  not 
previously  made  a  mental  note  of  her  neighbourhood. 
Also,  she  should  always  have  reassuring  words  on  the 
tip  of  her  tongue  for  her  animal  in  case  of  momentary 
alarm.  The  quietest  horse  in  the  world  may  occasion- 
ally exhibit  fear,  but  if  his  rider  uses  her  eyes  and 
ears,  she  will  generally  be  prepared  for  any  sudden 
flight  of  fancy  on  his  part,  and  will  not  be  likely  to 
lose  her  head. 

A  lady  should  avoid  trotting  on  broken  or  uneven 

ground,  or  on  a  road  which  is  covered  with  loose  stones, 

as  her  horse  would  be  liable  to  fall  and  perhaps  cut  his 

knees.      Unless  in  a  hurry  to  reach  her  destination,  she 

should  not,  like  a  butcher's  boy,  trot  her  horse  at  his 

fastest  speed.      The  ground  chosen  for  a  canter  should 

be    soft    and,    if  possible,    elastic,   and  she  should,   of 

course,    avoid  the   ''  'ammer,   'ammer  on  the  'ard  'igh 

road,"  which  is  a  fruitful  cause  of  lameness.      Any  soft 

parts  at  the  side  of  a  road  may  be  used  for  the  canter, 

or  if  the  ground  is  very  hard  and  dry,   as  it  sometimes 

is  in  summer,   and  also  in  frosty  weather,    only  quiet 

trotting   and    walking    exercise   could    be    taken   with 


PASSING   CARRIAGES.  229 

safety  to  the  horse.  A  lady  should  always  study  her 
mount,  and  carefully  select  the  ''going."  It  is  best  to 
ride  down-hill  at  a  walk.  If  a  horse  stumbles  he  should 
never  be  hit  or  jobbed  in  the  mouth,  because  he  takes 
no  pleasure  in  making  false  steps,  or  even  in  breaking 
his  knees. 

A  lady  should  always  give  any  passing  vehicle  as 
much  room  as  possible.  If  her  animal  is  afraid  to  pass 
any  object  on  the  road,  the  groom  or  attendant  should 
at  once  ride  in  advance  and  give  him  a  lead.  If  he 
still  evinces  fear,  his  rider  should  speak  encouragingly 
to  him,  pat  him  on  the  neck,  and  tell  him  to  go 
on.  If  this  fails,  and  he  shows  an  inclination  to 
turn  in  an  opposite  direction,  she  should  check  him 
at  once,  and  order  him  to  go  on  in  a  severe  tone 
of  voice.  It  will  be  on  such  occasions  as  these 
that  a  rider  who  has  never  acquired  the  silly  habit 
of  constantly  talking  to  her  mount,  will  find  the 
voice  a  powerful  factor  in  horse  control.  Unfortu- 
nately, many  people,  w^hen  a  horse  shies,  lose  their 
heads,  clutch  at  the  reins,  hit  the  horse,  and  com- 
mit other  foolish  acts  which  only  irritate  the  animal, 
without  in  any  way  allaying  his  fear,  supposing,  as  we 
do,  that  the  horse  is  good-tempered,  and  is  not  shying 
from  vice.  The  voice  of  his  rider  will  inspire  him  with 
confidence,  and,  therefore,  when  he  has  made  an  anxious 
and  fearful  step  in  the  right  direction,  he  should  be 
patted  and  spoken  to  in  an  encouraging  tone,  so  that 
his  mind  may  not  be  wholly  occupied  with  the  terrifying 
object  in  front  of  him.      It  is  a  good  plan  to  incline  his 


230  HACKING. 

head  away  from  it  as  much  as  possible.      I  have  ridden 
young  horses  who  have  shied  at  almost  everything,  but 
have  never  worried  them    to   go  up  to  and   smell  the 
object  of  their  aversion,  as  some  recommend,  because 
it  is  not  always  practicable  to  do  so,  as,  for  instance,  in 
the  case  of  a  motor  car.     It  is  not  wise  to  give  undue 
importance    to    comparative    trifles.       The    voice    has 
always  stood  me  in  good  stead  with  shying  horses,  who 
soon   get   to  regard   it  as   a  sure  sign  that  they  have 
nothing  to  fear.     A  lady  who  has  been  properly  taught 
to  ride,  and  sits  correctly,  should  remember  that  w^hat- 
ever  her  horse  may  do  in  plunging  about  from  one  side 
of  the  road  to  the  other,   he  cannot  unseat  her,  so  she 
need  feel  no  alarm  on  that  point.     The  greatest  danger 
is  that  the  horse  may  dash  into  something  which  in  his 
fright  he  has  not  seen,  but  that,  fortunately,   is  a  very 
rare   occurrence,    even   with  young  horses.      However 
frightened   a   lady   may  herself  feel,   she  should  never 
reveal   her    secret  to   her  horse  by    speaking    to    him 
in  a   terrified  tone  of  voice,   or  by  otherwise  display- 
ing fear ;   and  above  all  things,  she  should  never  lose 
her  temper  and  hit  him,  no  matter  how^  obstinate  he 
may  be,   as  doing  so  will  only  make  him  shy  on  the 
next   occasion,    with  a  display    of   temper    thrown    in, 
and  he  will  then  be  more  difficult  than  ever  to  manage. 
The  best  way  to   act   with  a  horse  which   shies  from 
desire  to   "play  up,"  is  to  take  as  little  notice  as  pos- 
sible of  his  antics,  give  him  more  work,  and  less  corn. 
A  lady  should  always  ride  slowly  round  a  corner,  and 
keep  a  good  look  out  in  front  of  her.      Many  things 


RUNNING   AWAY.  231 

may  happen  during  the  course  of  a  ride  to  try  the  nerve 
of  both  horse  and  rider,  but  if  anything  should  startle 
a  horse,  his  rider  should  keep  her  head  cool,  sit  tight, 
and  do  her  best  to  pull  him  up.      She  will  have  doubt- 
less   accustomed    him    to    the    meaning    of   the    word 
''  steady,"  or  other  verbal  order  which  she   may  have 
employed  when  slackening  speed.      This  word,  accom- 
panied   by   a   steady   and   vigorous   pull  on   the  reins, 
should  succeed  in  stopping  him  before  he  has  had  time 
to  get  up  much  speed.      If,  however,  a  lady  finds  she 
cannot  pull  him  up,  she  should  try  to  turn  him  to  the 
left,   as  that  will  be  the  easier,   supposing,    of  course, 
she  has  sufficient  room  in  which  to  turn.      If  not,  she 
should  saw  his  mouth  with  the  bit  by  working  it  from 
side  to  side.      The  groom,   or  attendant,  should  on  no 
account  gallop  after  her,  as  doing  so  will  only  tend  to 
make  the  lady's  horse  go  all  the  faster.      I  remember 
riding    a    very  hard  puller  belonging  to  Mr.  Wintle,   of 
Shanghai.      One  day  this  animal  bolted  with  me,   and 
the  stupid  native  viafoo  behind  galloped  on  after  me.      I 
managed  to  stop  the  animal  by  turning  him  to  the  left, 
and  pointing  his  head  away  from  the  homeward  direc- 
tion   in  which  we  were  proceeding,  but  I  was  greatly 
hampered  by  my  mount  hearing  the    footfalls  behind 
him.      The  native  groom  was  frightened,  and  no  doubt 
thought  he  could  help  me,  which  he  could  best  have 
done  by  pulling  up.      I  cannot  too  strongly  impress  on 
all  ladies  who  ride  the  necessity  of  using  a  safety-bar 
on  their  saddles  (p.  38),  and  wearing  a  safety  skirt,  even 
when  hacking  ;  for  a  sudden  cause  of  fright  may  make 


232  HACKING. 

the  animal  unseat  his  rider,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing 
for  a  horse  to  fall  when  going  over  apparently  level 
ground,  even  at  a  walk,  in  either  of  which  cases  she 
might  get  dragged  by  her  stirrup  or  skirt,  if  it  is  of 
the  non-safety  pattern.  In  any  case  of  difficulty  with 
a  horse,  a  lady  should  contrive  at  all  hazards  to  retain 
her  self-possession  and  her  seat,  remembering  that  the 
least  symptom  of  alarm  on  her  part  will  increase  the 
terror  or  obstinacy  of  the  animal.  My  advice  for 
stopping  a  runaway  is  not  so  easy  to  follow  as  drawing 
on  a  glove,  but  it  has  extricated  me  on  many  occasions 
from  a  dangerous  position  and,  therefore,  I  know 
it  to  be  practicable  ;  but  I  hope  no  lady  may  ever 
have  occasion  to  put  it  to  the  proof.  Although  all 
quarrels  between  horse  and  rider  should  be  avoided,  a 
woman  should  never,  by  over-indulgence,  induce  her 
mount  to  consider  that  she  is  afraid  of  him,  because  if 
he  once  gets  that  idea  into  his  head,  he  will  exert  every 
means  to  convince  her  that  he  is  the  master,  and  will 
end  by  doing  precisely  what  he  likes,  instead  of  im- 
plicitly obeying  her  commands.  By  watching  my 
husband  reduce  to  subjection  vicious  horses  in  various 
parts  of  the  world,  I  have  seen  that  although  equine 
demons  cannot  be  conquered  by  physical  strength,  they 
can  be  controlled  by  coolness,  patience  and  knowledge, 
which  is  a  fact  that  every  riding  woman  should  bear  in 
mind. 


-00 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

RIDING    WITHOUT    REINS. 

Undoubtedly  the  best  and  quickest  way  for  a  lady 
to  learn  to  ride  well  is  the  one  which  I  shall  now 
describe,  and  which  I  believe  I  have  been  the  first  to 
practise. 

Before  putting  up  the  pupil,  it  is  well  to  teach  the 
horse  the  work  he  has  got  to  do,  which  should  be 
performed,  if  possible,  in  an  enclosure  not  less  than 
1 7  yards  in  diameter  :  20  yards  would  be  a  better  size. 
The  track  should  be  soft.  A  thick,  smooth  snaffle 
having  been  put  on,  the  leather  reins  are  taken  off, 
and  others  (the  best  are  of  ''circular"  or  "pipe" 
webbing,  i^^  inches  broad)  about  22  feet  long  are 
substituted.  If  circular  webbing  cannot  be  obtained, 
ropes  or  ordinary  leather  reins,  if  of  the  proper  length, 
will  do.  The  animal  is  made  to  circle  round  the  driver 
by  the  outward  rein  (the  left  rein  if  he  is  going  to  the 
right)  passing  round  his  quarters,  while  the  inward  rein 
(the  right  in  this  case)  leads  him  off  and  bends  him  in 
the  direction  he  has  to  go  (Fig.  105).  The  horse 
should  be  made  to  circle  in  a  thoroughly  well-balanced 


234  RIDING   WITHOUT    REINS. 

manner,   so  that  the  circle  described  by  his  fore   feet 

will  be  the  same  as  that  made  by   his  hind  feet,   and 

he  should  be  taught  to  turn  smoothly  and  collectedly. 

The  driver  should  stand  partly  to  one  side  of  the  horse 

and  partly  behind  him,  as  in   Fig.  105,  but  should  on 

no  account  keep  following  the  animal  ;  for,  if  he  does 

so,  he  will  throw  too  much  of  his  weight  on  the  reins. 

This  should,  of  course,  be  avoided  ;  for  the  lighter  the 

feeling  on  the  reins,  the  better,  so  long  as  the  horse 

goes  up  to  his  bridle.      The  pressure  of  the  outward 

rein  should  act  like  that  of  the  outward  leg  of  a  man 

who  is  riding  a  horse  on  a  circle,  in  keeping  his  hind 

quarters  "supported"  ;  so  that  the  circle  described  by 

the  hind  feet  may  not  be  greater  than  that  made  by 

the   fore   feet.      In   order  to  give  adequate   command 

over  the  horse,  a  standing  martingale,  put  at  a  proper 

length,  will  be  required  for  this  driving  on  foot.      This 

method  of  mouthing  horses   is   fully  described  in  my 

husband's    Illustrated  Horse    Breaking.      When    the 

horse  circles  and  turns  equally  well  on  both  reins*  and 

jumps  cleverly,  the  beginner  may  be  put  on  the  saddle 

without   giving   her  any   reins   to  hold.      In   order   to 

keep  her  hands  down  and  occupied,  she  may   hold  a 

whip  or   stick   in   both   hands   resting   on    her    lap,   as 

shown  in  the  illustration,  or  she  may  fold  her  arms  in 

front  of  her.      Whatever  may  be  the  pace,  if  the  pupil 

begins   to  lose   her   balance,    to   be    frightened,    to   sit 

awkwardly,  or   to   become  tired,   the  driver  should   at 

once  halt  the  horse  and  should  try  to  rectify  matters  as 

far  as  possible. 


JUMPING  WITHOUT    REINS. 


235 


t/5 


O 


o 


t/3 


236  RIDING   WITHOUT    REINS. 

The  lesson  should  be  commenced  by  the  driver 
starting  the  horse  into  a  steady  walk,  on  a  circle  to  the 
right,  as  that  will  be  easier  than  going  to  the  left. 
After  a  few  circles,  and  when  the  rider  has  acquired 
some  confidence,  the  driver  may  give  her  the 
"caution"  that  he  is  going  to  turn  the  horse,  which 
he  does  by  turning  him  to  the  *' left-about "  by  means 
of  the  left  rein,  while  "supporting"  the  hind  quarters 
by  the  right  rein.  After  the  required  number  of 
circles  has  been  made  to  the  left,  the  caution  may  be 
repeated,  and  a  "right-about"  turn  done.  When  the 
pupil  has  become  sufficiently  advanced,  a  steady  trot 
on  the  right  circle  may  be  attempted  ;  the  turns  being 
executed  as  before.  Subsequently,  a  canter  may  be 
tried.  As  the  rider  gains  expertness,  the  turns  may  be 
made  without  giving  any  caution,  and  the  sharpness 
with  which  they  are  done  may  be  gradually  increased. 
When  the  rider  has  acquired  a  good  firm  seat,  she  may 
get  a  jumping  lesson.  The  best  kind  of  fence  is  a 
round  thick  (at  least  6  inches  in  diameter)  log  of 
wood.  It  should  be  of  good  substance  and  weight,  so 
that,  if  the  horse  hits  it  once,  he  will  not  care  to 
repeat  the  experiment.  It  should  be  free  from  any 
sharp  points  or  edges  that  might  blemish  the  animal, 
if  he  "raps"  it.  This  log  should  be  at  least 
15  feet  long,  should  have  one  end  a  little  outside 
the  circumference  of  the  circle  on  which  the  animal 
works,  and  the  other  end  pointing  towards  the 
centre  of  the  circle.  The  log,  at  each  extremity, 
may    be    propped    up    on    empty  wine    or    beer    cases 


JUMPING    WITHOUT    REINS.  237 

(Fig.     105).      No   wing    or   upright   pole  which  might 
catch    in    the    reins    should    be    placed    at    the     inner 
end  of  the  log.      If  a  log  such  as   I   have  described  be 
not  procurable,  a  hurdle  or  gate  might  be  employed. 
It  is  well  to  begin  this  lesson  by  placing  the  log  on  the 
ground,   and  first  walking   the  horse,  who  carries  his 
rider,  over  the  log,  which  might  then  be  raised  5  or  6 
inches.      The  bar  need  not   be  put   up  higher  than  3 
feet.      The  whole  of  this  jumping  practice   should  at 
first  be  given  while  circling  to  the  right.      As  the  capa- 
bilities of  all  are  not  alike,  the  teacher,  who  ought  also 
to    be    the    driver,    should    exercise    his   judgment    in 
apportioning  the  work  done.      As  a  rough  approxima- 
tion,   I   should  say   that   an  apt  pupil  who  had  never 
been  previously  on  a  horse,  ought  to  do  in  fairly  good 
style,    after    a    dozen    lessons,     all    I    have   described. 
These  lessons,  which  had  best  be  given  daily,  ought 
not  to  exceed   half  an  hour   in   duration.      Great  care 
should  be  taken  that   the  rider  gets  neither  fatigued 
nor  "rubbed."     As  a  rule,  a  man  will  be  required  to 
drive  the  horse  on  foot  with  the  long  reins  ;   for  few 
women  would  be  able  to  do  this  work,  and  teach  at  the 
same  time.      If  the  instructor  be  a  lady,  she  might  get 
an  experienced  man  to  drive  for  her,  while  she  gives 
the  cautions  and  orders. 

While  receiving  her  first  lesson  in  riding  without 
reins,  the  pupil  should  try  to  keep  her  seat  by  the 
combined  help  of  balance  and  grip,  and  should  not 
attempt  to  hold  on  to  the  saddle  with  her  hands, 
which,    subsequently,    will   be   required   solely   for   the 


238  RIDING   WITHOUT    REINS. 

manipulation  of  the  reins  and  whip.  As  a  rider  can 
manage  a  horse  in  a  moment  of  danger  twice  as  well 
with  two  hands  as  with  one,  it  is  impossible  for  her  to 
become  a  fine  horsewoman  if  she  acquires  the  fatal 
habit  of  clutching  hold  of  the  saddle,  which  she  in- 
evitably will  do  the  instant  she  feels  insecure  in  her 
seat,  or  becomes  nervous,  if  she  be  that  way  afflicted. 
To  guard  against  this  evil,  the  learner  should  be 
taught  to  ride  in  a  modern  English  saddle,  which,  as 
we  all  know,  has  got  no  off  pommel. 

By  allowing  her  body  to  be  perfectly  lissom  from 
the  waist  upw^ard,  she  will  be  able  to  conform  to  the 
movements  of  the  horse,  and  will  not  feel  herself 
violently  jerked  from  side  to  side  by  any  quick  turn  or 
untoward  movement  he  may  make.  If  she  stiffens 
her  body  and  assumes  an  awkward  position  in  her 
saddle,  she  will  find  herself,  on  the  animal  being 
sharply  turned,  unable  to  retain  her  seat  with  ease. 
As  it  is  difficult,  even  for  an  accomplished  horse- 
woman who  is  not  accustomed  to  riding  without  reins, 
to  do  this  w^hen  mounted  on  a  light-mouthed  horse, 
and  without  a  signal  from  the  driver  of  his  intention 
to  turn  sharply  in  the  trot  or  canter  to  "  right  ''  or 
"left"  as  the  case  may  be;  the  pupil,  until  she 
has  acquired  the  knack  of  conforming  to  every 
movement  of  the  animal,  should  receive  due  warn- 
ing  from  the  driver.  When  he  signifies  his  inten- 
tion to  turn  the  horse,  she  should  grip  the  crutches 
with  her  legs,  and  incline  her  body  in  the  direction 
to  be  taken  by  her  mount.      By  watching  the  animal's 


TURNING.  239 

ears,   she  will  soon    learn  to  become   independent    of 
the  driver's   signal. 

She  will  find,  until  she  has  acquired  practice  in  riding 
without  reins,  that  it  is  far  more  difficult  to  retain  her 
balance  in  the  saddle  durinp-  these  turns,  than  in  ridino- 
over  a  fence ;  for  when  an  obstacle  has  to  be  negotiated, 
she  is  made  aware  beforehand  of  the  intended  move- 
ments, but  in  turning  without  a  signal  she  has  not 
that  advantage.  If  the  lessons  are  given,  first  at  a 
walk,  and  the  pace  gradually  increased  according  as  she 
becomes  secure  in  her  saddle,  she  will  soon  acquire  a 
good  firm  seat,  and  will  have  no  tendency  to  be 
displaced  by  her  horse  shying  with  her,  or  by  making  a 
sudden  plunge  to  right  or  left. 

I  have  described  in  Chapter  YIII.  how  a  lady  should 
sit  in  her  saddle,  so  I  need  not  repeat  these  directions. 
While  being  driven  with  the  long  reins,  the 
rider  should  endeavour  to  sit  as  upright  as  she  can, 
without  any  stiffness,  and  leaning  neither  to  the  front 
nor  back,  except  when  rising  at  the  trot,  when  the  body 
should  be  inclined  a  little  forw^ird,  so  as  to  make  the 
movement  smooth. 

The  zmll'  requires  no  special  mention,  At  the  /r^?/, 
before  she  has  learned  when  and  how  to  rise  in  her 
stirrup,  it  is  best  for  her  not  to  make  any  attempt  to  do 
so,  but  to  let  herself  be  bumped  up  and  down  until  she 
feels  that,  although  the  movement  may  be  unpleasant, 
it  does  not  render  her  seat  insecure.  While  doing  this, 
she  should  be  careful  not  to  put  any  weight  on  the 
stirrup.      After  she  has   thus   learned  to   trot   without 


240  RIDING   WITHOUT    REINS. 

rising,  she  should  try  to  feel  her  stirrup  just  before  her 
body  is  bumped  upward  by  the  horse,  and  she  will  soon 
become  able  to  time  her  movements,  so  as  to  rise  in  her 
stirrup  with  grace  and  ease.  To  do  this,  her  effort 
should  be  strictly  confined  to  aiding  the  upward  lift 
which  the  horse  gives  to  her  body,  and  should  be  free 
from  any  jerk  or  wriggle.  She  should  have  her  weight 
well  on  her  right  leg,  and  should  keep  her  stirrup  in  one 
unaltered  position  (p.  192).  The  ankle  acts  here  as  a 
spring  to  take  away  any  jerk  that  might  occur  during 
the  movement.  The  stirrup,  as  I  have  said  on  page 
192,  should  be  at  the  ball  of  the  foot,  and  the  left 
knee  should  be  kept  steady  and  close  against  the  flap 
of  the  saddle.  If  the  horse,  during  the  trot,  suddenly 
breaks  off  into  a  canter,  the  rider  should  sit  down 
in  her  saddle,  and  be  ready  to  grip  her  crutches  with 
both  legs,  if  necessary. 

When  cantering,  the  lady  should  try  as  much  as 
possible  to  ride  by  balance  and  not  by  gripping  her 
crutches  tis'htlv  the  whole  time.  She  will  thus  be  able 
to  sit  in  a  nice,  easy  position,  and  will  be  ready  to  grip 
the  moment  she  requires  to  do  so,  as  when  turning,  or 
if  she  feels  she  is  losing  her  balance.  Whenever  the 
pupil  gets  displaced  in  her  saddle  or  frightened,  the 
horse  should  at  once  be  pulled  up;  for  the  lesson 
will  be  of  no  use  to  her,  if  she  feels  forced  to  adopt 
a  stiff,  awkward  position  in  her  saddle  for  the  sake 
of  safety. 

It  is  well  to  know  that  an  almost  infallible  sign  of 
a  rider  beino-  friohtened  of  her  horse  is  a  tendency   to 


"CRANING"    FORWARD.  241 

unduly  bend  or  "crane"  forward.  Hence,  the  instant 
this  sign  becomes  apparent  either  to  learner  or  teacher, 
the  lesson  should  be  discontinued,  or  the  pace,  if  that 
was  the  cause  of  the  nervousness,  should  be  decreased 
as  might  be  required.  This  "funky  "  seat  on  horseback 
looks  bad,  is  particularly  unsafe,  and  is  hard  to  correct 
when  once  acquired. 

Xw  riding  tip  to  a  fence  the  lady  should  in  no  way 
alter  her  position,  but  should  merely  grip  the  crutches 
firmly,  while  keeping  her  body  perfectly  lissom,  with 
her  head  and  shoulders  slightly  back.  Many  persons 
have  a  notion  that  the  proper  way  to  sit  over  all  jumps 
is  to  bend  forward  when  the  animal  is  rising,  and  to 
lean  back  when  he  is  descending.  This  is  quite  wrong  ; 
for,  as  the  horse,  before  propelling  himself  forward  and 
upward  by  his  hind  legs,  has  to  raise  his  forehand  oft 
the  ground  by  the  straightening  out  of  one  or  both  of 
his  fore  legs,  it  is  evident  that  it  would  be  inadvisable 
to  put  any  additional  weight,  at  that  moment,  on  the 
forehand.  As  most  persons  have  a  natural  tendency  to 
bend  forward  too  much  when  going  at  a  fence,  I  have 
advised  the  rider  to  brino-  her  head  and  shoulders  a 
little  back,  just  sufficient  to  correct  such  a  tendency. 
When  a  horse  is  in  the  act  of  taking  off  at  a  standing- 
jump,  the  rider  should  lean  forward,  and  bring  her  head 
and  shoulders  back,  when  he  is  landing.  It  is  always 
sound  practice  to  lean  well  back  when  landing  over 
a  fence,  so  as  to  take  the  weight  off  the  horse's  fore 
legs  as  much  as  possible.  An  experienced  rider  solves 
all  these  problems  automatically. 

16 


242  RIDING    WITHOUT    REINS. 

The  fact  of  a  side  saddle  giving  the  very  strong  grip 
it  does,  induces  many  ladies  who  find  they  can  sit  over 
a  fence  without  falling  off,  to  become  so  well  satisfied 
with  their  own  riding,  that  they  neglect  to  acquire  a 
good  seat  over  a  country.  Their  slipshod  style  is  neither 
graceful,  nor  does  it  enable  them  to  give  their  horse 
any  assistance,  if  he  happens  to  make  a  mistake  ;  for 
they  are  certain  to  tumble  off,  if  they  receive  any 
unusual  provocation. 

The  hold  the  lady  has  on  the  crutches  should  prevent 
her  falling,  if  the  animal  stops  dead  when  coming  up  to 
a  fence.  A  lady  who  has  acquired  a  good  firm  seat 
ought  never  to  be  displaced  from  her  saddle  while  her 
mount   remains  on  his   legs. 

Though  progress  in  the  art  of  riding  without  reins 
must  of  necessity  be  slow  and  somewhat  tedious  at  first, 
still,  I  would  strongly  recommend  all  ladies  who  are 
able  to  do  so  to  practise  this  method,  for  they  will  find 
it  the  best  and  most  rapid  by  which  they  can  acquire  a 
good  and  firm  seat  on  horseback.  The  great  difficulty 
in  this  work  is  to  find  a  man  who  can  use  the  long 
reins  and  manage  a  horse  with  correctness  and  precision 
in  the  various  paces,  and  in  jumping.  It  would  be 
most  dangerous  for  a  lady  to  allow  herself  to  be  driven 
by  the  long  reins  by  any  man  who  was  not  a  thorough 
master  of  this  difficult  art  of  horse  guidance  and  control. 
Even  with  such  a  man,  the  horse  to  be  ridden  and 
jumped  without  reins  should  be  previously  trained  for 
this  work,  and  should  be  taught  to  stop  dead  the 
instant  he  receives  the  word  of  command.      As  a  lady 


GIRLS    RIDING.  243 

who  Is  inexperienced  in  this  kind  of  riding,  may  get  a 
toss  when  being  turned,  especially  if  she  tries  to  hook 
back  her  right  leg,  it  is  obvious  that  the  "  falling " 
should  be  soft  and  that  the  pupil  be  supplied  with  a 
safety  bar  and  a  safety  skirt.  It  will  be  seen  by  the 
extract  from  the  Queen,  page  60,  that  even  small  girls 
who  were  tauoht  to  sit  their  horses  in  the  manner 
that  I  have  described  in  this  book,  were  able  to  ride 
well  over  fences  without  reins  after  two  lessons. 


16 


* 


244 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

NERVE. 

No  lady  can  enjoy  riding,  or  become  proficient  in 
that  art,  unless  she  has  good  nerve.  Luckily,  the  large 
majority  of  girls  who  learn  to  ride  possess  abundance 
of  nerve  and  pluck,  an  excess  of  which  is  often  a  danger 
to  safety  in  the  hunting  field.  It  may  be  noticed, 
however,  that  the  finest  horsewomen  do  not  make  any 
showy  display  of  their  prowess,  for  they  ride  to  hunt, 
and  do  not  hunt  to  ride.  Pluck  is  an  admirable  quality 
as  far  as  it  goes,  but  it  must  be  supported  by  nerve. 

It  is  the  custom  to  laugh  at  people  who  are  suffering 
from  temporary  loss  of  nerve,  but  it  is  heartless  to  do 
so,  as  we  have  all,  I  believe,  felt,  more  or  less,  what 
Jorrocks  would  term,  "  kivered  all  over  with  the  creeps," 
at  some  period  or  other  of  our  lives.  Bad  horses  and  bad 
falls  are  apt  to  ruin  the  strongest  nerve,  and  there  must 
be  a  cause  to  produce  an  effect.  For  instance,  I  never 
feared  a  thunderstorm  until  our  house  was  struck  by 
lightning  ;  but  now,  when  a  storm  comes,  I  feel  like  the 
Colonel  to  whom  a  Major  said  on  the  field  of  Preston- 
pans :   "You  shiver,  Colonel,   you  are  afraid."     "  I  am 


NERVE.  245 

afraid,  Sir,"  replied  the  Colonel,"  and  if  you  were  as 
much  afraid  as  I  am,  you  would  rttn  away  /"  It  may, 
however,  be  consoling  to  ladies  who  are  battling  against 
loss  of  nerve,  to  hear  that  I  have  known  brilliant  horse- 
men lose  their  nerve  so  utterly  that  they  were  unable  to 
take  their  horses  out  of  a  walk.  With  quiet  practice  their 
good  nerve  returned  again,  and  they  have  ridden  as 
well  as  ever.  Nerve  in  riding  is  recoverable  by  prac- 
tice on  a  very  confidential  horse.  Some  men  give  their 
wives  or  daughters  horses  w^hich  are  unsuitable  for 
them,  and  which  they  are  unable  to  manage.  Is  it  any 
wonder  that  such  ladies  have  their  nerve  entirely  shat- 
tered in  their  efforts  to  control  half-broken,  violent 
brutes  of  horses  1  It  is  customary  to  blame  ladies  who 
are  unable  to  control  their  horses  in  the  hunting  field  ; 
but  the  men  w^ho  supply  them  with  such  animals  are,  in 
many  cases,  the  more  deserving  of  censure.  There  are 
men,  not  many,  I  hope,  who  consider  it  unnecessary  for 
their  womenkind  to  learn  to  ride  before  they  hunt  ;  but 
no  one  has  a  right  to  thus  endanger  the  lives  of  others. 
Such  ladies  possess  plenty  of  pluck,  but  not  the  neces- 
sary knowledge  to  guide  their  valour  to  act  in  safety. 
A  Master  of  hounds  told  me  that  his  nerve  was  so  bad 
that  he  positively  prayed  for  frost !  At  the  end  of  one 
season  he  gave  up  the  hounds  ;  but  he  is  again  hunting 
them,  so  his  nerve  must  have  become  strong.  Mr. 
Scarth  Dixon,  writing  on  this  subject,  says  :  "  It  is  a 
curious  quality,  that  of  nerve.  A  man's  nerve,  by  which 
I  mean  his  riding  nerve,  will  go  from  him  in  a  day  ;  it 
will  sometimes,  but  not  frequently,  come  back  to  him  as 


246  NERVE. 

suddenly  as  It  departed.  Everyone  who  has  hunted  for 
any  length  of  time  and  kept  his  eyes  open  must  be  able 
to  call  to  mind  many  a  man  who  has  commenced  his 
hunting  career  with  apparent  enthusiasm,  who  has 
gone,  like  the  proverbial  '  blazes,'  for  two  or  three 
seasons,  taking  croppers  as  all  in  a  day's  work,  and 
then  all  at  once  has  given  up  hunting  altogether 
because  his  nerve  has  gone.  He  has,  perhaps,  tried 
to  '  go '  for  a  season,  enduring  unknown  tortures  in  the 
attempt,  and  then  he  has  given  up  altogether.  He  has 
never  joined  the  skirting  brigade,  not,  perhaps,  as  some 
would  suggest,  because  he  was  too  proud  to  do  so  after 
having  once  been  a  first- flight  man,  but  because  he  did 
not  care  sufficiently  for  hunting."  This  writer  knew^  a 
man  w^ho  gave  up  riding  to  hounds  because  he  had  lost 
his  nerve,  and  yet  he  continued  to  ride  in  steeplechases, 
which  may  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  rider  on 
a  "  flagged  course  "  knows  what  is  in  front  of  him, 
and  has  little  or  nothing  to  fear  from  bad  ground.  Mr. 
Otho  Paget  considers  that  "a  failing  nerve  may  be 
always  traced  to  the  stomach,"  and  recommends 
moderation  in  eating,  drinking,  and  smoking.  Frank 
Beers,  the  famous  huntsman  of  the  Grafton,  had  his 
hunting  career  closed  by  a  severe  illness,  which  appa- 
rently deprived  him  of  all  his  former  dash.  Mr.  Elliot 
says  :  "  At  the  commencement  of  the  season  (1890-91) 
an  attempt  was  made  by  the  poor  man  to  resume  his 
duties,  but  one  hour's  trial  proved  to  Mr.  Robarts  and 
those  present  that  all  hope  had  vanished,  and  the 
above-named  gentleman,  being  in  charge  during  Lord 


TOM    FIRR.  247 

Penrhvn's  absence,  sent  the  hounds  home."  Huntsmen, 
like  other  riding  men,  generally  lose  some  of  their  nerve 
after  forty.  Mr.  Otho  Paget  tells  us  that  the  late  Tom 
Firr  was  the  onlv  huntsman  he  ever  knew  who  retained 
his  riding  nerve  to  the  end.  He  was  riding  brilliantly 
at  fifty-eight,  in  his  last  season  with  the  Ouorn,  when 
he  met  with  an  accident  which  compelled  him  to  resign 
his  post.  With  Lord  Lonsdale  as  Master,  and  Tom 
Firr  as  huntsman,  the  Ouorn  possessed  two  of  the 
most  perfect  horsemen  who  ever  crossed  Leicester- 
shire. 

I  think  the  best  treatment  for  a  lady  suffering  from 
loss  of  nerve  is,  first  of  all,  to  attend  to  her  health, 
which  will  probably  be  out  of  order  ;  then  get  a  steady 
horse  or  pony  and  ride  him  quietly  for  a  time,  and  the 
chances  are  that  the  good  nerve  will  all  come  back 
again.  It  grieves  people  who  have  been  unable,  from 
various  causes,  to  keep  up  their  riding  practice,  to 
think  that  they  have  lost  their  nerve,  and  they 
brood  over  it  until  they  often  imagine  they  are  past 
hope  of  recovery,  but  that  is  a  great  mistake.  This 
feeling  can  be  struggled  against,  and,  in  most  cases, 
conquered,  by  quiet  measures.  Nothing  but  the  most 
"confidential"  animal  will  help  to  do  it,  so  I  would 
warn  my  riding  brethren  not  to  make  matters  worse 
for  their  womenkind  by  providing  any  other  kind  of 
mount. 


248 


CHAPTER    XV. 

FENXES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 

From  a  hunting  point  of  view,  the  chief  value  of  fences 
lies  in  the  fact  that  they  retard  the  hounds  more  than 
the  horses,  and  help  the  foxes  to  save  their  brushes. 
On  arable  land,  fences  as  a  rule  are  used  merelv  as 
boundaries  ;  but  on  grazing  land,  they  are  needed  to 
prevent  stock  from  roving  beyond  their  assigned  limits. 
Hence,  in  a  grass  country,  the  obstacles  are  generally 
much  more  difficult  to  negotiate  than  on  tilled  ground. 
Also,  the  nature  of  grazing  stock  demands  variation  in 
the  stiffness  and  height  of  the  fences,  which,  in  the 
Midlands,  have  to  restrain  the  migratory  propensities 
of  frisky  young  bullocks  ;  but  in  dairy-farming  counties 
like  Cheshire,  much  smaller  and  weaker  ones  amply 
serve  their  purpose  in  acting  as  barriers  to  placid 
bovine  matrons. 

Farmers  in  the  Shires  have  found  that  hawthorn 
hedges  make  the  most  serviceable  fences  under  old 
time  regulations.  When  these  hedges  are  allowed  to 
grow  in  a  natural  manner,  they  take  the  form  of  a 
bullfinch  (Fig.  90),  which,  though  impossible  at  many 


FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND    GATES.  249 

places,  often  leaves  a  gap  at  others.  Consequently, 
bullfinches  are  gradually  going  out  of  fashion  in  the 
Shires,  and  are  generally  converted  into  cut-and-laid 
fences,  of  which  there  is  an  example  in  Fig.  106. 
This  alteration  is  usually  made  in  winter,  and  is 
effected  by  cutting  with  a  bill-hook  about  half  way 
through  the  small  trunks  of  the  hawthorn  shrubs, 
turning  them  to  the  left,  and  interlacing  their  tops 
and  their  branches,  as  we  may  see  in  Fig.  107,  w^hich 
shows  us  the  appearance  Fig.  106  presented  du ring- 
its  construction.  A  cut-and-laid  is  usually  about 
3  feet  9  inches  high,  and  is  the  wrong  kind  of  obstacle 
to  "  chance,"  because  it  is  very  stiff.  Some  hunting- 
people  who  know  very  little  about  country  life,  call  a 
cut-and-laid  fence  a  ''  stake-and-bound  fence,"  which 
(Fig.  108)  is  an  artificial  barrier  made  by  putting  a 
row  of  stakes  in  the  ground  and  twisting  brushwood 
between  them.  Stake-and-bound  fences  are  common 
in  Kent,  and  are  not  nearly  so  dangerous  to  "chance" 
as  a  cut-and-laid,  because  the  ends  of  their  stakes  are 
only  stuck  in  the  ground.  The  practice  of  cutting  and 
laying  hedges  is  so  general  in  the  Midlands,  that  we 
rarely  see  a  bullfinch  which  does  not  show  signs  of 
having  been  tampered  with  in  this  manner.  Even  the 
height  to  which  the  hawthorn  bushes  in  Fig.  90  have 
attained,  does  not  entirely  conceal  the  traces  left  by 
the  bill-hook,  some  years  before  this  photograph  was 
taken. 

Posts    and    rails    are    often    used    in    the    Shires  to 
strengthen  decrepit  fences  (Fig.    109),  and  to  take  their 


250  FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES. 

place  when  no  hawthorn  bushes  are  present  (Fig.  no). 
Their  difficulty  of  negotiation  is  naturally  increased 
by  the  presence  of  a  ditch  on  the  taking  off  or  land- 
ing side,  as  in  Fig.  in.  As  a  rule,  they  are  about 
2  feet  6  inches  hiph.  A  not  uncommon  form  of  posts 
and  rails  is  a  Midland  stile  (Fig.  112).  A  familiar 
combination  of  a  hedge  and  posts  and  rails  is  an  oxer 
(Fig.  113).  The  gap  in  this  illustration  has  been 
repaired  by  wire,  and  I  am  much  indebted  to  the  ox 
who  kindly  allowed  us  to  take  his  portrait,  as  well  as 
the  fence  which  owes  its  name  to  his  family. 

Although  the  Whissendine  is  a  prominent  feature  of 
the  Cottesmore  country  near  Stapleford  Park,  I  need 
not  dwell  upon  brooks  as  a  form  of  hunting  obstacle 
in  the  Shires,  for  they  are  seldom  jumped  ;  not  from 
faintheartedness  on  the  part  of  riders,  but  because 
the  ground  on  the  taking-off  or  landing  side  is  often 
treacherous,  and  the  presence  of  posts  and  rails  or  wire 
on  one  or  both  of  the  banks  is  a  frequent  occurrence. 
Also,  the  width  of  these  brooks  and  bottoms  varies 
greatly  according  to  the  amount  of  rainfall.  People 
whose  experience  of  leaping  is  limited  to  that  of  fences 
on  firm  and  level  ground,  like  those  in  a  jumping 
competition,  are  naturally  apt  to  overlook  the  severe 
manner  in  w^hich  a  hunter  is  handicapped  when  coming 
up  to  an  unknown  fence,  after  a  long  and  fast  run 
through  heavy,  rough  and  hilly  ground. 

Wire  (Fig.  114)  is  terribly  common  in  some  parts 
of  the  Shires,  and  often  makes  any  attempt  to  ride 
straight  impossible.      In  countries  where  it  is  prevalent, 


FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES. 


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Fig.  1 08. — A  stake  and  bound  fence. 


FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND    GATES.  257 


Fig.  109. — Post  and  rails  to  close  gap  in  hedge. 


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FENCES,    COUxNTRY   AND    GATES. 


259 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES. 


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Fig.  III.— Posts  and  rails  with  ditch. 


FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


263 


Fig.  112. — Midland  stile. 


FENCES,    COUNTRY   AND    GATES. 


265 


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FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND   GATES.  269 

speed  is  a  much  more  valuable  attribute  ot  a  hunter 
than  cleverness  in  jumping,  because  the  main  object  of 
the  rider  will  then  be,  as  a  rule,  to  get  over  fields 
and  through  gates  with  a  minimum  of  "  lepping." 
Some  of  our  Colonial  sisters  mioht  taunt  us  for  not 
trying  to  leap  wire  in  the  brave  manner  clone  by  Miss 
Harding  (Fig.  102)  and  other  New  Zealand  and 
Australian  horsewomen,  but  their  conditions  of  country 
are  entirely  different  from  ours.  In  the  Shires,  for 
instance,  wire,  as  a  great  rule,  is  visible  only  from  one 
side  of  the  fence  which  it  contaminates,  and  often  takes 
the  form  of  a  concealed  trap.  Hence  it  is  carefully 
avoided  both  by  horses  at  grass  and  by  riders. 

My  husband  tells  me  that  banks,  stone  walls  and 
"  stone  gaps "  are  the  chief  fences  in  Ireland ;  that 
hedges  are  seldom  encountered,  except  in  the  form  of 
furze  on  the  top  of  banks  ;  and  that  he  has  rarely  seen 
posts  and  rails  in  his  native  land.  While  enjoying 
a  very  pleasant  visit  last  winter  with  Mr.  Arthur 
Pollok,  the  Master  of  the  East  Galway  Hounds,  he 
took  the  photographs  of  Figs.  115  to  120.  Fig.  115 
shows  a  broad  bank  about  4  feet  high,  with  a  deep 
ditch  on  each  side,  and  a  tall  man  standing  on  the  top 
of  it,  so  as  to  give  an  idea  of  its  dimensions.  Fig.  1 16 
is  a  side  view  of  Fig.  115.  In  Fig.  117,  Mr.  Pollok, 
who  is  also  tall,  is  standing  beside  a  higher  and  more 
upright  bank  which  has  the  usual  accompaniment  of 
broad  ditches.  In  Fig.  118,  the  very  popular  Master 
of  the  East  Galway  is  close  to  a  typical  Galway  stone 
wall  of  the  "  cope  and  dash  "  order  and  close  on  5  feet 


270  FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 

in  height.      This  formidable  obstacle  derives  its  name 
from    the    fact    that    the  stones    on   its  top  are  firmly 
cemented  together  by  a  dash  of  mortar.      The  Masters, 
hunting  men,   hunting  ladies,   and  horses  of    the  East 
Galway  and  Blazers  think  nothing  of  "  throwing  a  lep  " 
over  a  cope  and  dash  of  this  kind.      Ordinary  second 
flighters    in    the    Shires    would    probably    prefer    the 
Galway  "loose  stone  wall  "  depicted  in  Fig.  119  or  the 
small  bank  shown  in  Fig.  120.      He  also  tells  me  that 
although  there  is  wire  in  East  Galway,  it  is  used  only 
for  fencing-in  large  spaces  of  ground,  and  as  it  stands 
out  alone  by  itself,  it  is  no  source  of  danger  to  horse  or 
rider.      My  husband  returned  to  Crick  delighted  with 
the  people  in  County  Galway,  especially  because,  when 
he  went  out  hunting,  almost  everyone  of  the  small  field, 
both   ladies  and  men,  seeing  that  he  was  a   stranger, 
were  glad  to  meet  him,  and  went  up  and  spoke  to  him 
in    a    very    friendly   manner.      Over   there,    hunting   is 
evidently  a  sport,  and  not  a  social  function. 

Fig.  121,  which  was  very  kindly  taken  from  the  top 
of  Yelvertoft  Church  for  this  book  by  the  Rector  of 
that  nice  parish,  gives  a  good  idea  of  the  country  over 
which  we  hunt  in  Northamptonshire.  In  that  county, 
the  grass  fields  are  smaller  and  the  country  more 
wooded  than  in  Leicestershire,  which  has  the  inestim- 
able advantage  of  possessing  so  many  bridle  paths,  that 
people  who  hunt  in  it  have  very  little  road  tramping  to 
do.  Even  that  trying  infliction  is  mitigated  to  some 
extent  in  most  parts  of  the  Shires,  by  the  presence  of 
grass  on  the  sides  of  country  roads,  as  in  Fig.  122. 


FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


271 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


273 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES.  275 


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FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


277 


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FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


279 


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FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES.  281 


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FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


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FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES. 


285: 


FExNCES,   COUNTRY   AND    GATES.  287 

When  hunting  in  England,  gates  are  hardly  ever 
jumped,  for  two  very  good  reasons.  First,  because 
it  would  take  a  Manifesto  or  a  Cloister  to  neootiate 
a  series  of  them  safely  during  a  long  run  ;  and  second, 
because  the  habit  of  leaping  gates  would  be  almost 
certain  to  unfit  a  horse  for  the  task  of  steadily  going- 
through  the  various  phases  of  opening  and  shutting 
these  means  of  ingress  and  egress.  Besides,  gates 
are  often  in  such  positions,  as  regards  taking  off  and 
landing,  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  fly  them  safely, 
even  if  the  way  were  clear  of  hunting  companions, 
which  is  seldom  the  case  in  large  fields.  Every 
horsewoman  should  remember  that  nothing  is  more 
apt  to  spoil  a  horse  than  allowing  a  brace  of  alterna- 
tive ideas  to  occupy  his  mind  at  the  same  time. 
Hence,  when  a  hunter  sees  a  gate  during  a  run,  his 
thoughts  should  be  solely  occupied  in  doing  his  best 
to  aid  his  rider  to  open,  get  through  and  shut  it,  or 
hold  it  open,  if  necessary. 

Gates,  as  a  rule,  may  be  divided  into  five-barred 
gates  (Fig.  123)  and  bridle  gates  (Fig.  124).  Variety 
in  gates  is  chiefly  limited  to  their  form  of  fastening, 
which  is  generally  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  rider 
when  the  gate  opens  towards  her  (Figs.  125,  126  and 
127);  and  on  her  right-hand  side,  when  it  opens 
away  from  her  (Fig.  129).  In  Fig.  125,  we  see  the 
old-fashioned  wooden  latch.  In  Fig.  126,  the  spring 
latch  has  to  be  pulled  towards  the  hinges  of  the  gate  ; 
and  in  Fig.  127,  away  from  them.  In  the  double  gate 
shown  in   Fig.    128,  the  upper  fastening  consists  of  a 


288  FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND    GATES. 

moveable  D  ;  the  lower  one  being  a  very  common 
supplementary  latch,  which  in  Fig.  129,  is  cunningly 
secured  by  a  curved  piece  of  iron  that  renders  the  gate 
impossible  to  be  opened,  except  by  a  person  on  foot. 
Another  form  of  craft  that  we  sometimes  encounter,  is 
an  arrangement  by  which  the  gate  hangs  so  heavily  on 
its  latch,  that  the  would-be  passer-through  has  to  lift 
up  the  gate  before  he  or  she  can  open  it,  and  often 
at  an  expenditure  of  strength  of  which  many  women 
are  incapable.  To  perform  this  feat,  a  rider  would 
of  course  have  to  dismount,  which  would  be  very 
awkward,  if  a  lady  was  by  herself.  I  have  met  gates 
of  this  annoying  description  on  bridle  paths  on  which 
the  public  have  a  right-of-way. 

A  gate  is  opened  either  with  the  hand  or  hunting 
crop,  the  former  being  more  efficient  than  the  latter, 
if  the  latch  is  within  reach,  which  would  seldom  be  the 
case  if  the  rider  was  on  a  tall  horse.  When  the  fence 
at  the  side  of  the  fastening  of  a  gate  is  low  enough  to 
allow  the  rider  to  place  her  horse's  head  over  it,  she 
usually  can,  by  doing  so,  open  the  fastening  by  whip 
or  hand,  draw  the  gate  back  or  push  it  forward,  as  the 
case  may  be,  and  pass  through.  If  the  hedge  at  the 
side  of  the  fastening  Is  too  high  for  this  to  be  done, 
she  will  have  to  place  herself  alongside  the  gate,  with 
the  horse's  tail  towards  the  hinges,  and  then  open  the 
latch,  by  means  of  the  hand  (with  or  without  a  whip) 
which  is  next  to  the  latch.  If  the  gate  opens  away 
from  her,  she  may  have  to  push  it  forward  by  hand  or 
crop,  unless  she  is  on  a  well  instructed  animal,  who  will 


FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES. 


289 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES. 


291 


Fig.  124. — Bridle  gate. 


^9 


* 


FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND   GATES.  293 


Fig.  125. — Gate  with  wooden  latch. 


FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND    Gx'\TES.  295 


Fig.  126.— Gate  with  spring  latch  which  has  to  be  drawn  back. 


FENCES,   COUNTRY   AND   GATES. 


297 


Fig.  127. — Gate  with  spring  latch  which  has  to  be  pushed  forward. 


FENCES,    COUNTRY    AND    GATES.  299 


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FENCES,   COUNTRY    AND    GATES.  301 


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Fig.  129. — A  puzzle  in  gate-opening. 


FENCES,    COUNTRY   AND    GATES.  303 

be  always  ready  to  save  her  this  trouble,  by  pushing  the 
gate  open  with  his  breast.      If  the  gate  opens  towards 
her,  the  horse  should  be  so  trained,  that  when  she  has 
undone  the   latch,   and    has    begun   to   draw   the  gate 
towards    her,    he    will    turn    his    hind    quarters    round 
(make  a  pirouette  renversde,   as    the    French  call    it), 
move  his  fore  quarters  a  little  to  one  side,  so  as  to  get 
them  clear  of  the  gate,  and  pass  through,  the  moment 
he  sees  that  his  rider  has  opened  the  gate  sufficiently 
for  him  to  perform  that  final  manoeuvre.      For  instance, 
if  a  mounted  lady  wants  to  get  through  the  gate  shown 
in   Fig.    126,  she  should  pull  back  the  latch  with   her 
right  hand  (with  or  without  a  whip),  and  on  drawing 
the  gate  towards  her,  the  horse  should  bring  his  hind 
quarters  round  to  the  left  ;  move  his  fore  legs  a  little  to 
the  left ;  and,  if  need  be,  rein  back  a  step  or  two,  so  as 
to  be  in  the  proper  position  to  move  forward,  as  soon 
as  he  has  plenty  of  room  to  do  so.      As  a  lady  has  not 
a  leg  on  each  side  of  her  mount,  to  enable  her  to  turn 
his  hind  quarters  to  whichever  side  she  likes,  she  will 
have  far  more  difficulty  than  a  man  in  teaching  a  horse 
these    very    useful    movements.      At    the    same    time, 
when  a  horse  is  anxious  to  get  through  a  closed  gate- 
way, as  he  will  generally  be  when  his  head  is  turned 
towards   his  stable,  he  will  very  quickly  learn  how  to 
ably  assist  his  rider  in  this  process. 


304 


CHAPTER    XVI. 
HUNTING. 

When  ladies  began  to  hunt — Hunt  subscriptions — In  the  field — Cub-hunting — 
Blood — Coming  home  — Rider's  Physical  Condition — Tips  and  thanks — The 
Horn — Hirelings — Farmers  and  Wire — Pilots — Propriety — Falls. 

WPIEN    LADIES    BEGAN    TO    HUNT. 

Although  the  hunting  field  is  nowadays  graced  by 
the  presence  of  many  good  horsewomen  who  ride 
w^ell  to  hounds  and  are  capable  of  taking  care  of 
themselves  and  their  mounts,  it  is  only  within  about 
the  last  seventy  years  that  ladies  have  ridden  across 
country.  Mr.  Elliott  in  his  book  Fifty  years  of  Fox- 
Jmnting  tells  us  that  in  1838  ''  Mrs.  Lorraine  Smith 
and  her  two  daughters,  with  Miss  Stone  from  Blis- 
worth,  were  the  only  ladies  who  hunted  then.  The 
Misses  Lorraine  Smith  rode  in  scarlet  bodices  and 
grey  skirts.  The  improved  side-saddle  was  not  then 
invented  to  enable  a  lady  to  ride  over  fences." 
We  learn  from  the  same  writer  that  in  1841  ''a 
lady  named  Miss  Nellie  Holmes  was  out,  topping 
the  fences  like  a    bird    to    the  admiration  of  all  ;  and 


WHEN   LADIES    BEGAN   TO    HUNT.         305 

when     she    came     to     the     brook,     over    she     went. 
.      .     .      That    was    the    first    lady    whom    I    saw    go 
over  a  country.      There  is  one  certainty  about  ladies, 
what    one    does    another    will    do,   if   it    be  worth   the 
doing.       Very    soon    others    were    at    the    game,    and 
many    have    played    it     well    since."       In    a    pleasant 
little   book    entitled    The    Young  Ladies    Eqtiestrian 
Manual,   written   by  a    lady    and    published    in    1838, 
we  read,    ''No  lady  of  taste  ever  gallops  on  the  road. 
Into    this  pace    the    lady's    horse    is    never    urged,    or 
permitted    to    break,    except    in    the    field ;    and    not 
above   one  among   a   thousand    of  our  fair  readers,   it 
may    be    surmised,    is    likely    to    be    endowed    with 
sufficient    ambition    and     boldness,     to     attempt     the 
following  of  hounds."     The    saddle  given    in  a  draw- 
ing in  this  book   has  no  leaping  head,   but  the  WTiter 
mentions,  as   I    have    previously    noted,   that    movable 
crutches  were  being  introduced    to    enable    a    lady    to 
ride    on  either  side   of    her  horse.      The  leaping  head 
(p.  -iy-i^),   third  crutch,   or  third  pommel,  as  it  was  first 
called    in   England,   came   into   use   in   this  country  in 
the    forties,    and    with    its    aid    ladies    felt    themselves 
endowed    with    sufficient    ambition    and     boldness    to 
follow    hounds.      Captain    Elmhirst,    writing    in    1877, 
says  :    "It    will,    I    think,    be    admitted    by    everyone 
that  the  number  of  ladies  who  hunt  now   is    at    least 
tenfold    as    compared    with   a   dozen   years   ago,"    and 
every  year  since  that  was  written,   has  seen  a  steady 
increase  in  the  ranks  of  hunting  women. 


20 


3o6  HUNTING. 


HUNT    SUBSCRIPTIONS. 


Perhaps  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  say  something 
about  what  a  lady  should  do  if  she  desires  to  join 
a  hunt  and  has  no  menkind  to  arrange  such  business 
matters  for  her.  Every  woman  who  hunts  should 
(and  usually  does,  I  believe,)  contribute  her  share  of 
payment  towards  the  sport  in  which  she  participates. 
If  a  lady  is  well  off,  and  intends  to  hunt  regularly,  she 
would  probably  not  give  less  than  ^25  ;  but  the  Quorn 
and  some  other  fashionable  hunts  lay  dow^n  no  hard 
and  fast  rule  concerning  the  amount  to  be  subscribed, 
which  varies  according  to  individual  circumstances. 
The  minimum  subscription  to  the  Pytchley  is  ^25 
for  a  man  and  ^10  for  a  lady.  Lord  North,  who 
is  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  the  Warwickshire 
Hunt,  states  [The  Field,  20th  December,  1902),  in  a 
very  generous  manner,  that  "  fox-hunting  must  never 
be  allowed  to  become  the  sport  of  the  rich  alone.  It 
is  a  national  sport,  and  must  be  open  to  all — to  rich 
and  poor  alike."  There  is,  however,  a  recognised 
sum  which  qualifies  the  donor  for  hunt  membership  ; 
for  instance  :  the  Craven  minimum  subscription,  with 
membership,  is  ^10;  the  Crawley  and  Horsham, 
15  guineas;  while  subscribers  of  ^25  to  the  Meynell 
hunt  are  privileged  to  wear  the  hunt  button.  In 
several  hunts — Lord  Fitzwilliam's,  Mr.  Bathurst's, 
the  Belvoir,  when  hunted  by  the  Duke  of  Rutland, 
and  others — the  Master  hunts  the  country  at  his  own 


IN    THE    FIELD.  307 

expense,  subscriptions  being  accepted  only  for  Covert, 
Wire,  Poultry,  or  Damage  Funds,  as  the  case  may 
be.  The  Vale  of  White  Horse  (Cirencester)  requires 
a  subscription  from  ladies  of  "  £^  per  day,  per 
week."  Strangers  who  hunt  occasionally  with  a  sub- 
scription pack  where  capping  is  not  practised,  are 
expected  to  contribute  towards  the  Poultry  or  Damage 
Fund.  In  some  hunts  a  cap  is  taken  from  non-sub- 
scribers, from  whom  a  certain  fixed  sum  is  expected  ; 
the  Essex  and  Suffolk  requires  five  shillings  a  day, 
the  Burstow  a  sovereign,  and  the  Pytchley  and 
Warwickshire  two  pounds.  The  usual  "field  money" 
in  Ireland  is  half-a-crown.  The  Blackmore  Vale, 
although  a  subscription  pack,  does  not  fix  any  sum, 
but  sensibly  expects  people  to  subscribe  according  to 
the  number  of  horses  they  keep,  and  the  amount  of 
hunting  they  do.  An  old  and  sound  rule  is  ^5  for 
each  horse.  As  subscriptions  vary  in  different  hunts, 
the  best  plan  tor  a  lady  who  has  to  arrange  her  own 
business  matters,  is  to  write  to  the  secretarv  of  the 
hunt  which  she  desires  to  join,  and  obtain  from  him 
the  required  information.  She  will  find  Bailey  s 
Htmting  Directory  a  most  useful  book  of  reference. 

IN    THE    FIELD. 

Under  this  heading,  I  shall  try  to  give  practical 
advice  to  those  who  are  commencing  their  hunting 
career,  and  explain  several  things  that  I  would  have 
liked  to  have  known  myself  when  I  first  rode  to  hounds. 
As  we  may  learn  something  from  the  failings  of  others 

20* 


308  HUNTING. 

before  entering  the  expensive  school  of  experience,  it 
would  be  wise,  before  we  hunt,  to  study  certain  com- 
plaints  which  experienced  hunting  men  have  published 
anent  our  sisters  in  the  field.  Mr.  Otho  Paget  says  : 
''  I  am  not  one  of  those  who  think  that  women  are 
in  the  way  out  hunting,  and  in  my  experience  I  have 
always  considered  they  do  much  less  harm  than  the 
men,  but  the  time  when  they  do  sin  is  at  a  check. 
They  not  only  talk  themselves,  but  they  encourage 
men  to  talk  as  well,  and  I  have  repeatedly  seen  a 
woman  lead  a  whole  field  over  ground  where  the  pack 
intended  to  cast  themselves.  The  woman,  instead  of 
attending  to  what  hounds  are  doing,  enters  into  a 
conversation  with  a  man  and  together  they  talk  on 
w^ithout  paying  heed  to  the  damage  they  may  do. 
My  dear  sisters,  forgive  me  for  calling  you  to  order, 
but  if  you  would  only  keep  silent  when  hounds  are 
at  fault,  and  stand  quite  still,  you  perhaps  might 
shame  your  admirers  into  better  behaviour,  and 
thereby  be  the  means  of  furthering  the  interests  of 
sport."  This  rebuke  means  that  when  a  gallop  is 
suddenly  stopped  by  hounds  losing  the  scent  of  their 
fox  and  being  obliged  to  puzzle  out  the  line,  the  ladies 
of  the  hunt  should  remain  silent,  should  pull  up  and 
not  impede  the  huntsman  who  will  do  his  best  to  aid 
his  hounds  in  recovering  the  lost  scent.  Mr.  Paget's 
remark  about  the  lady  who  led  the  field  over  ground 
where  the  pack  intended  to  cast  themselves,  means 
that  the  hounds  were  trying  to  recover  the  lost  scent 
without    the    assistance    of    the    huntsman,    but    their 


IN    THE    FIELD.  309 

efforts  had  been  spoiled  by  the  people  who  rode  over 
the  ground  and  thus  foiled  the  line.  It  is  obvious 
that  to  spoil  the  sport  of  others  in  this  negligent 
manner  is  to  cover  ourselves  with  humiliation,  and 
other  unbecoming  wraps. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  hunting,  unlike 
other  forms  of  sport,  has  no  written  rules  of  its 
own  for  the  guidance  of  the  uninitiated.  Every  in- 
dulgence should  therefore  be  shown  to  the  hunting 
tyro  who  innocently  commits  errors  ;  for  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  it  is  probable  she  does  so,  from  ignorance 
of  the  unwritten  laws  which  govern  the  conduct  of 
the  experienced  hunting  man  and  woman.  On  this 
subject  Mr.  Otho  Paget  writes :  "  The  lady  novice 
comes  in  for  her  share  of  blame,  and  though  she  may 
not  get  sworn  at,  black  looks  will  soon  explain  the 
situation.  For  her  I  would  also  crave  induloence, 
and  if  she  becomes  a  regular  offender,  you  can  ask 
her  male  friends  to  tell  her  in  what  way  she  is  doing 
wrong.  In  whatever  way  we  may  treat  them,  there 
is  no  excuse  for  the  novice,  male  or  female,  embarking 
on  a  hunting  career,  without  having  ascertained  the 
customs  and  observances  w^hich  are  considered  neces- 
sary by  those  who  have  had  considerable  experience. 
Anyone  who  comes  out  hunting  without, 
knowing  the  rules  of  the  game,  is  a  constant  source 
of  danger  to  those  who  are  near."  This  is  all  very 
true  of  course  ;  but  the  aspiring  Diana  may  well  ask 
"  what  are  these  said  rules,  and  where  can  I  obtain 
them  ?  "     I    feel    sure  that  all  hunting  novices  would 


3IO  HUNTING. 

greatly  appreciate  and  study  an  orthodox  code  of 
hunting  laws,  as  it  would  be  far  pleasanter  for  a  lady 
to  avoid  mistakes  by  their  guidance,  than  to  have 
"  her  male  friends  to  tell  her  in  what  way  she  is  doing 
wrong,"  possibly  after  she  has  received  ''black  looks" 
from  the  whole  of  the  field.  Hunting  is  a  science 
which  has  to  be  learnt,  and  every  game  of  science 
should  have  its  published  code  of  regulations,  or  it 
cannot  be  played  without  grave  blunders  by  those 
who  have  to  pick  it  up  at  haphazard. 

In  justice  to  my  sex  it  must  be  allowed  that  they 
do  not  holloa  on  viewing  a  fox,  a  fault  that  is  often 
committed  by  men,  especially  in  the  Provinces. 
Colonel  Alderson  quoting  from  an  old  pamphlet  on 
hunting  which  was  reprinted  in  1880  by  Messrs. 
William  Pollard  and  Co.,  Exeter,  says:  "Gentlemen, 
keep  your  mouths  shut  and  your  ears  open.  The 
fox  has  broken  cover,  you  see  him — gentlemen, 
gentlemen,  do  not  roar  out  '  Tally-ho '  !  do  not 
screech  horribly.  If  you  do,  he  will  turn  back,  even 
under  your  horses'  feet,  in  spite  of  the  sad  and  dis- 
appointed look  on  your  handsome  or  ugly  faces.  Do 
not  crack  your  infernal  whips,  be  silent." 

Whyte  Melville  says  :  *'  I  do  not  say  you  are 
never  to  open  your  mouth,  but  I  think  that  if  the 
inmates  of  our  deaf  and  dumb  asylums  kept  hounds, 
these  would  show  sport  above  the  average  and  would 
seldom  go  home  without  blood.  Noise  is  by  no 
means  a  necessary  concomitant  of  the  chase,  and  a 
hat  held  up,   or  a  quiet  whisper    to  the  huntsman,   is 


IN   THE    FIELD.  311 

of  more  help  to  him  than  the  loudest  and  clearest 
view  holloa  that  ever  wakened  the  dead,  '  from  the 
lungs  of  John  Peel  in  the  morning.'  " 

As  this  chapter  is  written  with  the  desire  to  help 
the  inexperienced  huntress,  she  will,  I  feel  sure,  be 
grateful  to  the  writers  who  have  advised  her  what 
not  to  do,  so  we  will  study  the  next  complaint  which 
comes  from  that  experienced  sportsman  Captain 
Elmhirst,  who  describes  a  hunting  run  better,  I 
think,  than  any  other  writer  on  the  subject.  He 
says  :  "  When  ladies  cast  in  their  lot  with  the  rougher 
sex,  lay  themselves  out  to  share  in  all  the  dangers 
and  discomforts  incidental  to  the  chase,  and  even 
compete  for  honours  in  the  school  of  fox-hunting, 
they  should  in  common  fairness  be  prepared  to  accept 
their  position  on  even  terms,  nor  neglect  to  render 
in  some  degree  mutual  the  assistance  so  freely  at  their 
command,  and  that  men  in  a  Leicestershire  field  so 
punctiliously  afford  to  each  other.  The  point  on 
which  they  so  prominently  fail  in  this  particular  is, 
to  speak  plainly,  their  habitual,  neglect — or  incapacity 
— at  gateways.  Given  the  rush  and  crush  of  three 
hundred  people  starting  for  a  run  and  pressing  eagerly 
through  a  single  way  of  exit — to  wit,  an  ordinary 
gate  swinging  easily  and  lightly,  and  requiring  only 
that  each  passer  through  should  by  a  touch  hinder 
its  closing  after  him  or  her.  Of  these  three  hundred, 
in  all  probability  thirty  are  ladies  ;  and  I  commit 
myself  to  the  statement  that  not  more  than  five  of 
that  number  will  do   their    share    towards    preserving 


312  HUNTING. 

the  passage  for  those  who  follow  them.  The  bulk 
of  them  will  vaguely  wave  what  they,  forsooth,  term 
their  hunting-whips  towards  the  returning  gate  ;  while 
others  merely  give  their  mounts  a  kick  in  the  ribs 
and  gallop  onwards,  with  no  look  behind  at  the  mis- 
chief and  mortification  they  have  caused.  The  gate 
slams,  the  crowd  press  on  to  it,  a  precious  minute 
or  two  is  lost  and  scores  of  people  are  robbed  of 
their  chance  in  the  forthcoming  gallop.  And  yet 
these  are  our  sisters  whose  arms  and  nerves  are 
strong  enough  to  steer  an  impetuous  horse  over  a 
most  difficult  country  and  who  turn  away  from  nothing 
that  we  can  dare  to  face.  The  intense  annoyance 
entailed  by  a  gate  being  dropped  into  its  intricate 
fastenings  through  want  of  ability  or  of  consideration 
on  the  part  of  the  fair  Amazon  immediately  preced- 
ing him,  has  brought  into  the  mouth  of  many  a 
chivalrous  sportsman  a  muttered  anathema  of  the 
feminine  taste  for  hunting  that  scarce  any  other  pro- 
vocation would  have  availed  to  rouse.  It  is  only 
quite  of  late  that  a  certain  number  of  ladies  have 
supplied  themselves  with  whips  at  all  capable  of 
supporting  a  gate  ;  and  not  many  of  these  can  use 
them  even  now.  I  make  bold  to  say  that  not  only  every 
lady  who  hunts  should  be  armed  with  a  sufficient 
hunting-crop  (with  of  course  a  lash  to  guard  against 
its  loss  in  a  gateway),  but  that  no  lady  ought  to  deem 
herself  qualified  to  take  her  place  in  the  field  until 
she  has  learned  how  to  use  it.  Were  such  a  rule 
adhered  to,   we    should    hear    none    of    the  sweeping 


IN    THE    FIELD.  313 

remarks  indulged  In  by  sufferers  who  have  over  and 
over  again  writhed  under  disappointments,  that  if 
inflicted  by  our  own  sex,  would  have  quickly  called 
forth  direct  charges  of  Inconsiderateness  and  want  of 
courtesy." 

From  this  admonition  the  tyro  may  learn  two  things 
which  will  be  of  great  service  to  her  in  hunting.  First, 
the  necessity  of  providing  herself  with  a  strong  hunting 
crop,  which  should  be  sufficiently  long  and  stiff  to 
stop  a  gate  easily,  with  a  good  handle  to  it  capable  of 
opening  or  stopping  a  gate,  and  the  orthodox  thong 
and  lash  attached  to  prevent  the  whip  from  falling  on 
the  ground  if  she  loses  her  hold  of  it  at  a  gateway. 
Provided  with  this  serviceable  crop,  a  lady,  before  she 
appears  In  the  hunting  field,  should  ride  through  as 
many  different  varieties  of  gates  as  she  can  find,  and 
should  thoroughly  master  the  art  of  opening  and 
shutting  them  herself,  and  of  giving  the  necessary  push 
with  her  crop  as  she  passes  through  for  the  assistance  of 
imaginary  riders  behind  her.  In  Leicestershire  there 
are  so  many  bridle  roads  that  a  lady  may  obtain  any 
amount  of  this  practice  when  hacking.  It  would  be  w^ell 
for  her  to  ride  the  horses  on  which  she  intends  to  hunt, 
as  she  will  be  teaching  them  to  go  steadily  through 
gates  while  she  is  perfecting  herself  in  the  art  of  open- 
ing and  shutting  them,  and  her  hunters  will  also  learn 
the  important  accomplishment  of  being  able  to  push  a 
gate  when  it  opens  from  her.  She  should  be  .careful  to 
securely  shut  every  gate  through  ^yhich  she  may  pass, 
because  farm  stock  are  apt  to  stray  through  gates  which 


314  HUNTING. 

are  left  open  and  cause  great  inconvenience  to  their 
owners.  If  a  lady  is  the  last  to  pass  through  a  gate 
when  hunting,  she  should  always  remember  to  shut 
it.  Men  are  often  far  greater  culprits  than  women  at 
gates,  apart  from  their  holloaing  propensities.  Many 
men  seem  to  regard  the  sport  as  provided  for  them 
alone,  and  look  upon  my  sex  as  being  in  the  hunting 
field  on  sufferance.  Most  of  us  have  met  the  entirely 
selfish  male  who  gallops  up  to  a  gate,  rushes  through 
it  and  lets  it  bang  behind  him,  well  knowing  that  a 
lady  is  making  for  the  same  means  of  exit,  and  is  only 
a  few  lengths  away. 

Considering  that  women  pay  for  their  hunting  and 
are  not  on  the  free  list,  it  seems  rather  superfluous 
for  men  to  assure  them  that  they  do  not  object  to 
their  presence  in  the  hunting  field,  an  announcement 
which  appears  in  print  so  often  that  it  sounds  like 
protesting  too  much.  We  never  hear  of  hunting- 
women  recording  the  fact  that  they  do  not  object 
to  the  presence  of  men  :  even  ladies  who  carry  the 
horn  themselves  are  free  from  prejudice  in  this 
respect.  Hunting  men,  in  assuring  us  of  their  dis- 
tinguished toleration,  almost  appear  to  copy  each  other 
in  their  charming  manner  of  expressing  that  fact. 
For  instance,  Whyte  Melville  says  :  "  Far  be  it  from 
me  to  assert  that  the  field  is  no  place  for  the  fair  ; 
on  the  contrary,  I  hold  that  their  presence  adds  in 
every  respect  to  its  charms."  Then  why  does  he 
suggest  such  a  thing  ?  Captain  Elmhirst  assures  us 
that  he  is  ''  one  of  those  who,  far  from  cavilling  selfishly 


IN    THE    FIELD  m 


oo 


at  their  presence,  heartily  admit  the  advantages  direct 
and  indirect  in  their  participating  in  a  pursuit  in  which 
we  men  are  too  often  charged  with  allowing  ourselves 
to  be  entirely  absorbed."  Mr.  Otho  Paget  says  :  "  I  am 
not  one  of  those  who  think  that  women  are  in  the  way 
out  hunting,  and  in  my  experience  I  have  always  con- 
sidered they  do  much  less  harm  than  the  men."  Nice, 
truthful  man,  and  great  favourite  as  he  deserves  to  be. 
The  celebrated  Beckford  appropriately  gives  as  a 
frontispiece,  in  his  TJiottghts  on  Hunting,  a  portrait  of 
Diana,  the  goddess  of  hunting,  having  her  sandals 
girded  on  for  the  chase,  and  explains  the  picture  by 
saying  :  "  You  will  rally  me  perhaps  on  the  choice  of  my 
frontispiece  ;  but  why  should  not  hunting  admit  the 
patronage  of  a  lady  ?  The  ancients,  you  know, 
invoked  Diana  at  setting  out  on  the  chase,  and  sacri- 
ficed to  her  at  their  return  ;  is  not  this  enough  to  show 
the  propriety  of  my  choice  .'^ "  How  much  nicer  the 
ancients  must  have  been  than  many  moderns  are ! 
They  often  provoke  poor  Diana  when  setting  out  for 
the  chase,  and  sacrifice  her  to  their  bad  tempers  on 
their  return  !  According  to  Jorrocks,  hunting  men 
must  be  vainer  than  we  are,  for  we  do  not  wear  pink. 
That  great  sportsman  found  that  "  tw^o-thirds  of  the 
men  wot  come  out  and  subscribe,  wouldn't  do  so  if 
they  had  to  ride  in  black  !  " 

Another  admonition  which  should  receive  the  serious 
attention  of  the  hunting  tyro  comes  from  Whyte  Mel- 
ville, who  says  :  "  Now  I  hope  I  am  not  going  to 
express   a  sentiment   that    w^ill   offend    their  prejudices 


3i6  HUNTING. 

and  cause  young  women  to  consider  me  an  old  one, 
but  I  do  consider  that  in  these  days  ladies  who  go  out 

hunting    ride    a    turn    too    hard Let  the 

greatest  care  be  taken  in  the  selection  of  their  horses  ; 
let  their  saddles  and  bridles  be  fitted  to  such  a  nicety 
that  sore  backs  and  sore  mouths  are  equally  impossible, 
and  let  trustworthy  servants  be  told  off  to  attend  them 
during  the  day.  Then,  with  everything  in  their 
favour,  over  a  fair  country  fairly  fenced,  why  should 
they  not  ride  on  and  take  their  pleasure  ? 

"But  even  if  their  souls  disdain  to  follow  a  regular 
pilot  (and,  I  may  observe,  this  office  requires  no  little 
nerve,  as  they  are  pretty  quick  on  a  leader  when  he 
gets  down),  I  would  entreat  them  not  to  try  '  cutting 
out  the  work,'  as  it  is  called,  but  rather  to  wait  and  see 
at  least  one  rider  over  a   leap   before  they  attempt  it 

themselves What  said  the  wisest  of  kings 

concerning  a  fair  woman  without  discretion  ?  We 
want  no  Solomon  to  remind  us  that  with  her  courage 
roused,  her  ambition  excited,  all  the  rivalry  of  her 
nature  called  into  play,  she  has  nowhere  more  need 
of  this  judicious  quality  than  in  the  hunting  field." 
Possibly  the  writer  was  thinking  of  two  rival  Dianas 
who  ride  to  cut  each  other  down,  and  who  are  a 
nuisance  and  danger  to  the  entire  field.  One,  if  not 
both  of  them,  has  generally  to  be  picked  up  as  the 
result  of  this  jealous  riding. 

As  it  is  in  Leicestershire  that  many  of  our  finest 
horsewomen  may  be  seen,  I  would  strongly  recom- 
mend the  lady  who  has  done  some  preliminary  hunting 


IN    THE    FIELD. 


317 


o 

1-r 


O 


IN   THE    FIELD.  319 

with  harriers,  can  ride  well,  and  who  is  supplied  with 
suitable  hunters  which  she  can  thoroughly  control,  to 
learn  to  hunt  in  that  country.  She  will  there  get  the 
best  possible  instruction  in  hunt  discipline  and  see  the 
game  correctly  played,  which  is  far  better  for  her  than 
graduating  in  a  country  where  people  ride  to  holloas, 
where  the  Master  is  unable  to  control  his  field,  and 
where  hounds  are  interfered  with  in  their  work  by 
ignorant  or  careless  sportsmen.  Besides,  if  she  made 
her  debjlt  in  a  countrv^  which  is  badly  hunted,  she  would 
learn  a  great  deal  that  she  would  have  to  unlearn.  If 
she  should  ever  desire  to  hunt  in  Leicestershire.  A 
Leicestershire  field  may  be  divided  Into  four  classes  : 
the  first  flight  people  who  show  the  way,  ride  com- 
paratively straight  and  require  no  lead  ;  the  second 
flighters,  who  use  the  first  flighters  as  their  skirmishers 
and  follow  them  as  straight  as  they  can  ;  the  third 
flighters  (to  which  class  the  hunting  tyro  ought  to 
belong  while  getting  to  know  the  country),  who  ride 
through  gates  and  gaps  and  over  small  fences  ;  and  the 
fourth  flighters,  or  macadamisers,  who,  like  Jorrocks, 
"are  'ard  riders,  because  thev  never  leave  the  'ard 
road." 

The  lady  who  is  a  capable  horsewoman,  which  I 
need  hardly  say  she  ought  to  be  before  she  attempts  to 
hunt  in  any  country,  should,  if  she  wishes  to  ride  In 
Leicestershire,  get  as  much  practice  as  possible  over 
ridge  and  furrow  (Fig.  130),  in  order  that  she  may 
be  able  to  gallop  easily  and  comfortably  over  it  when 
hunting ;    for    those    who    are    unaccustomed   to   deep 


320  HUNTING. 

ridge  and  furrow  are  apt  to  tire  themselves  and  their 
horses  unnecessarily.      The  lines  of  snow  in   Fig.    131 
show    the    presence     of    ridge    and    furrow    in     the 
distance.      As    it    is    requisite    for    a    lady    to    know 
how  to  ride  on   the   flat  and  over  fences,  it  is  equally 
important   that  she  should   obtain   all  the  practice  she 
can  in  negotiating  difficult  ground,  so  that  the  hunting- 
field  may  have  no  unpleasant  surprises  in  store  for  her. 
A  very  steep  incline  will  stop  many  people.      There  is 
one  in  the  North  Cheshire  country,  near  Church   Min- 
shull  I  think,  which  is  like  riding   down  the  side   of  a 
house  to  get  to  the  valley  below.     The  passage  from 
the  high  ground  to  the  Belvoir  Vale  is  also  quite  steep 
enough  to  give  us  pause.      The  best  and  safest  way  to 
ride  dow^n  such  places  is  for  the  rider  to  lean  back  and 
take  her  horse  very  slowly  and  perfectly  straight  down 
the    incline.      He    should    never    be    taken   sideways  ; 
because   if  he   makes  a  mistake  and   his  hind  quarters 
are  not  under  him,  he  will  be   very  liable  to  roll   over 
on    his    rider.      If  he  is    kept    perfectly    straight    and 
misses    his    footing,    he    will    try    to  save   himself  by 
putting   his  weight  on  his  hind  quarters,  and  will  pro- 
bably find   himself   sitting    on    his   haunches    until    he 
recovers    his    balance.      The    rider,    by  leaning    back, 
removes  weight  from  his  forehand  and  is  prepared  for 
any  mistake  he  may  make.      She  should  remember  to 
lower  her  head  in  passing  under  trees  and  not  hurry  her 
mount  In  the  least,  even  though  she  may  see  the  whole 
field  streaming  away  from  her  In  the  valley  below.      In 
going  up  hill,  if  the   ascent  be  very   steep,  the  rider 


IN   THE    FIELD. 


321 


o 

E 


5 


ro 


tX) 


21 


IN   THE    FIELD.  323 

would  do  well  to  lean  forward  and  catch  hold  of  her 
horse's  mane,  if  he  has  one,  or  of  the  breastplate,  so  as 
to  avoid  letting  her  weight  make  the  saddle  slip,  and 
also  to  put  her  weight  well  forward  and  thus  assist  the 
horse.  She  should  let  him  take  a  zigzag  course,  and 
should  on  no  account  interfere  with  his  head  by  pulling 
on  the  reins.  We  may  notice  that  a  waggoner  with  a 
heavy  load  always  takes  his  horse  in  a  zigzag  direction 
up  a  steep  hill,  as  it  is  easier  for  the  animal,  and 
allows  him  occasional  intervals  for  rest,  if  necessary. 
We  should  ride  slowly  and  save  our  mount  as  much 
as  possible  on  such  occasions. 

When  we  go  a-hunting  we  should  not  forget  to 
provide  ourselves  with  a  pocket-handkerchief  of  a 
useful  size  ;  for  a  dab  of  mud  on  the  face  is  a 
common  occurrence.  Our  noses  and  often  our  eyes 
require  **  mopping "  on  a  cold  day,  and  as  the  small 
square  of  lace  bedecked  or  embroidered  cambric 
which  usually  does  duty  as  a  handkerchief,  is  totally 
unable  to  meet  the  various  calls  made  upon  it,  it  is 
ridiculously  out  of  place.  If  a  watch  is  needed,  it  is 
most  conveniently  carried  in  a  leather  wristlet  made 
for  the  purpose,  as  it  can  then  be  consulted  at  any 
moment,  by  merely  raising  the  hand,  without  having 
to  fumble  for  a  watch-pocket. 

I  must  not  omit  mention  of  the  necessary  flask 
and  sandwich  case,  which  are  generally  given  into 
the  charge  of  the  second  horseman  ;  but  if  a  one- 
horse  lady  goes  home  at  the  change  of  horses,  she 
will  not  require  a  *' snack." 

21* 


324  HUNTING. 

As  one  of  the  first  principles  of  hunting  is  to  spare 
both  ourselves  and  our  horses  any  unnecessary  fatigue, 
a  lady  should,  if  possible,  always  drive  to  the  meet,  or 
go  by  rail.  If  she  has  to  ride,  she  should  undertake  no 
distance  beyond  ten  miles.  I  have  ridden  twelve,  but  I 
think  that  is  too  far.  If  she  rides  her  hunter,  she  should 
take  him  quietly,  alternating  the  pace  between  a  walk 
and  a  slow  canter  on  the  soft  side  of  the  road,  the 
orthodox  pace  being  six  miles  an  hour.  She  should 
trot  as  little  as  possible,  in  order  to  avoid  the  risk 
of  giving  her  mount  a  sore  back  ;  for  trotting,  if 
she  rises  in  the  saddle,  is  the  pace  most  likely  to  cause 
trouble  in  this  respect.  On  arriving  at  the  meet,  she 
should  never  neglect  the  precaution  of  having  her 
girths  tightened  as  may  be  required,  for  her  horse  will 
have  thinned  down  somewhat  from  exercise,  and  the 
girths  will  allow  of  another  hole  or  two  being  taken  up. 
One  of  the  most  fruitful  causes  of  sore  back  is  occa- 
sioned by  thoughtlessly  hunting  on  a  horse  which 
is  slackly  girthed  up,  as  the  friction  of  the  saddle  will 
soon  irritate  the  back,  with  the  result,  generally,  of 
a  swelling  on  the  off  side  of  the  withers,  and  on  the  off 
side  of  the  back,  near  the  cantle.  I  wish  to  draw  par- 
ticular attention  to  the  necessity  of  tightening  the  girths 
of  a  side-saddle,  even  when  a  horse  has  been  led  to 
a  meet  ;  because  I  have  found  from  long  experience  of 
riding  young  horses  with  tender  backs,  as  well  as 
hunters  in  hard  condition,  that,  given  the  most  perfectly- 
fitting  saddle,  trouble  will  arise  sooner  or  later  if  this 
precaution    is   neglected.       Some  ladies  are  so   careful 


IN   THE    FIELD.  325 

about  the  fit  of  their  saddles,  that  they  have  a  separate 
saddle  for  each  of  their  hunters.  I  know  of  a  lady  who 
has  fourteen  hunters  so  equipped. 

When  hounds  move  off  to  covert,  a  lady  should 
be  sufficiently  watchful  to  secure  a  good  place  in  the 
procession,  as  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  field  is  kept 
waiting  in  a  road  or  lane  while  a  covert  is  being  drawn, 
and,  if  she  be  at  the  tail  end  of  it,  she  will  get  a  bad 
start.  In  taking  up  her  position  she  should,  of  course, 
be  careful  not  to  interfere  with  others.  Mr.  Otho 
Paget  gives  the  following  good  advice,  which  we  should 
all  endeavour  to  follow :  '*  When  we  go  a-hunting, 
I  think  we  should  forget  all  the  petty  squabbles  with 
our  neighbours,  and  meet  for  the  time  on  terms  of 
cordiality.  Anything  approaching  a  quarrel  will  spoil  the 
day's  sport  for  you.  Everyone  should  try  to  be  genial  and 
good-tempered,  so  that,  even  if  there  is  only  a  moderate 
run,  you  return  home  feeling  happier  for  the  exercise 
and  the  good  fellowship.  There  are  many  things 
to  try  one's  temper  in  the  hunting  field,  when  every- 
body is  excited,  but  one  should  control  one's  feelings 
and  be  invariably  courteous  in  speech.  You  should 
apologise,  even  when  you  think  you  are  in  the  right,  for 
the  other  man  may  be  equally  certain  he  is  in  the  right, 
and  it  would  be  difficult  to  say  who  was  in  the  wrong. 
At  the  same  time,  when  a  man  apologises  and  is 
evidently  sorry,  you  ought  to  accept  his  apologies 
in  a  kindly  spirit,  even  though  he  has  jumped  on 
the  small  of  your  back."  It  is  almost  superfluous, 
perhaps,  to  tender  advice  of  this  kind  to  my  gentle  sex. 


326  HUNTING. 

but  still,  sometimes — very  rarely,  of  course — we  find 
ourselves  uttering  impatient  remarks  in  the  excitement 
of  the  chase,  which  we  feel,  on  mature  reflection,  that 
we  would  have  preferred  to  have  left  unsaid. 

A  lady  will  require  to  keep  a  very  clear  head  when 
the  fox  breaks  covert  and  the  huntsman  sounds  the  well- 
known  "Gone  away,"  which  is  the  signal  to  start. 
In  a  field  of  three  or  four  hundred  horsemen  and  women 
all  galloping  off  at  once  with  a  whiz  like  the  sound  of 
a  flock  of  startled  birds,  there  must  be  neither  hesita- 
tion nor  recklessness  on  the  part  of  the  young  Diana, 
who  should  ride  with  discretion  and  judgment  in  order 
to  steer  clear  of  danger,  especially  at  the  first  fence. 
There  are  generally  a  few  left  on  the  wrong  side  of  it, 
and  the  chances  are  that  there  will  not  be  so  great  a 
crowd  at  the  next  one.  At  the  start,  a  judicious  use 
of  the  curb  will  doubtless  be  necessary  for  keeping  an 
excited  hunter  under  control,  and  allowing  the  rider  in 
front  plenty  of  room  to  jump  and  get  clear  away  from 
his  fence.  When  horses  have  settled  down  to  the 
required  pace,  which  will  be  regulated  by  the  hounds 
and  according  to  scent,  a  lady  should  ride  on  the  snafile, 
keep  her  hands  in  a  steady  fixed  position,  as  low  down 
as  comfortable,  and  should  maintain  a  good  look  out  in 
front  of  her,  so  that  she  may,  after  jumping  into  one 
field,  see  the  shortest  and  best  way  into  the  next. 
Jorrocks  speaks  truly  in  saying  "  to  'unt  pleasantly  two 
things  are  necessary — to  know  your  'oss  and  know 
your  own  mind.  .  .  .  Howsomever,  if  you  know 
your  horse  and  can  depend  upon  him,  so  as  to  be  sure 


IN   THE   FIELD.  327 

he  will  carry  you  over  whatever  you  put  him  at,  'ave 
a  good  understanding  with  yourself  before  you  ever 
come  to  a  leap,  whether  you  intend  to  go  over  it  or  not, 
for  nothing  looks  so  pusillanimous  as  to  see  a  chap  ride 
bang  at  a  fence  as  though  he  would  eat  it,  and  then 
swerve  off  for  a  gate  or  a  gap."  If  there  is  a  crowd  at 
the  only  practicable  place  in  a  fence,  a  lady  must  wait 
her  turn,  and  should  her  horse  refuse,  she  must  at  once 
give  place  to  any  rider  who  may  be  behind  her,  and 
wait  until  her  turn  comes  again  before  having  a  second 
attempt  to  clear  the  obstacle.  As  precious  time  is  lost 
by  refusing  horses,  it  is  generally  wiser  if  possible  to 
find  some  other  means  of  exit  than  to  argue  with  a 
refuser.  Remember  that  there  is  alw^ays  a  gate  which 
can  be  opened,  near  a  haystack,  as  the  farmer  places 
his  hay  where  he  can  easily  get  at  it  (Fig.  132).  A 
lady  should  save  her  horse  as  much  as  possible,  jump 
only  when  she  is  obliged,  for  hunting  is  not  steeple- 
chasing,  and  try  to  keep  within  sight  of  hounds.  She 
should  remember  to  shut  any  gate  she  may  use,  and  to 
carefully  avoid  riding  over  winter  beans,  wheat,  clover, 
roots,  turnips,  or  any  crops,  or  ground  newly  sown  with 
seed. 

A  lady  should  take  a  pull  at  her  horse  when  going 
over  ploughed  land  or  down-hill  in  order  to  keep  him 
well  collected,  and  should  always  ride  slowly  over 
ground  that  is  deep  and  holding,  if  she  values  her 
hunter's  soundness. 

Ladies  who  know  every  fence  and  covert  in  a 
country  have  a  great  advantage  over  strangers,  because 


328  HUNTING. 

foxes  frequently  make  a  point  from  one  covert  to 
another,  and  experienced  hunting  women  will  generally 
have  a  good  idea  where  they  are  going.  Like  Surtees' 
Michael  Hardy,  they  know  their  country  and  the  runs 
of  its  foxes.  There  are  people  that  have  hunted  in 
Leicestershire  all  their  lives,  who  manage  to  keep 
comparatively  near  hounds  and  see  good  sport  without 
jumping  a  single  fence.  They  know  the  country,  gener- 
ally ride  to  points,  and  act  as  admirable  pilots  to  the 
uninitiated.  I  owe  them  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude  for 
showing  me  the  way,  when  I  rode  young  horses  who 
were  getting  their  tirst  lessons  in  hunting.  Croppers 
never  came  to  me  under  their  wise  guidance,  but  only 
when  tempted  by  the  keenness  and  excitement  of  my 
over-sanguine  youngster,  I  essayed  lepping  experiments 
which  were  not  always  successful. 

A  lady  should  never  put  her  mount  at  a  fence 
which  she  is  not  certain  he  is  able  to  jump,  for  it  is 
better  to  be  a  coward  than  a  corpse,  and  even  if 
she  is  pounded  and  loses  a  run,  both  she  and  her 
horse  have  plenty  more  good  hunting  days  in  store. 
Some  hunters  will  refuse  a  fence  at  which  they  see 
the  horse  in  front  of  them  come  to  grief,  and  as  it 
is  only  natural  that  any  horse  with  brains  should  feel 
more  or  less  frightened  at  such  times,  his  rider 
should  sympathise  with  him  and  encourage  him  to 
make  an  effort,  in  much  the  same  way  as  we  would 
coax  a  child  to  take  a  dose  of  medicine.  Few  horses 
like  jumping.  Whoever  saw  animals  at  liberty  larking 
over   fences  from  sheer  delight  in  leaping  ?     It  takes 


IN   THE    FIELD. 


329 


a 

G 

•<■ 
•J 


CI 
CO 


IN   THE    FIELD.  331 

a  deal  of  time  and  patience  to  make  a  good  fencer, 
although,  of  course,  some  horses  learn  the  art  much 
more  quickly  than  others.  Although  few  horses  enjoy 
jumping,  they,  luckily  for  us,  detest  falling,  and  I 
feel  sure  that  if  people  would  only  leave  their  mouths 
alone  and  regard  the  use  of  the  curb  at  fences  as  a 
death-trap,  we  should  hear  of  far  fewer  falls  in  the 
hunting  field.  Captain  Elmhirst  truly  says  :  ''Horses 
are  very  sage  at  saving  themselves  and  consequently 
you.  They  care  little  for  the  coward  on  their  back  ; 
but  for  their  own  convenience  they  won't  fall  if 
they  can  help  it."  To  prove  this  I  may  relate 
the  following  interesting  and  instructive  fact :  Some 
years  ago  I  was  giving,  at  Ward's  Riding  School, 
Brompton  I^oad,  London,  practical  demonstrations  of 
riding  over  fences  without  reins,  my  husband  driving 
on  foot  a  horse  which  he  had  taught  to  jump,  with 
the  long  reins.  When  my  part  of  the  show  ended, 
a  single  pole  was  raised  to  a  height  of  five  feet, 
and  Gustave,  which  was  the  name  of  this  amiable 
grey  horse,  was  asked  to  go  and  jump  that  fence  by 
himself.  He  was  allowed  only  a  short  run  at  it,  as 
the  school  is  not  a  large  one,  but  in  his  desire  to 
obey  orders  he  would  canter  up  to  the  pole,  and  if 
he  considered  that  he  had  misjudged  his  correct 
distance  for  taking  off,  he  would  go  back  of  his  own 
accord  and  take  another  run  at  it.  My  husband  was 
as  much  surprised  as  I  was  when  we  first  saw  the 
horse  do  this,  as  we  had  not  credited  him  with  so 
much    intelligence.     Therefore,    when    I    hear   people 


332  HUNTING. 

talking  about  "lifting"  and  ''assisting"  horses  over 
their  fences,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  if  they  lifted 
themselves  off  their  backs  they  would  see  how  much 
better  horses  are  able  to  jump  without  their  assistance. 
Many  of  my  readers  doubtless  saw  the  Grand 
National  of  1900,  and  how  poor  Hidden  Mystery, 
who,  after  he  had  fallen  and  had  unshipped  his  rider, 
jumped  the  fences  with  safety  to  himself  and  the 
field.  Such  sights  must  show  how  necessary  it  is 
lor  us  to  interfere  as  little  as  possible  with  our  horses 
when  riding  them  over  fences. 

If  most  horses  dislike  jumping,  it  is  certain  that 
they  love  hunting  and  will  exert  every  effort  to  keep 
in  touch  with  hounds.  Those  who  doubt  this  should 
ride  a  young  horse,  and  note  how  anxious  he  is  to  try 
and  keep  with  hounds  and  how,  with  the  fearlessness 
of  ignorance  he  would  charge  any  fence  and  probably 
kill  both  himself  and  his  rider,  if  he  were  permitted  to 
urge  on  his  wild  career.  Blow  a  hunting  horn  near  a 
stable  where  there  are  hunters,  and  then  listen  to  the 
snorting,  kicking  and  excitement  which  your  action 
has  aroused  ;  but  it  is  unwise  to  repeat  the  experi- 
ment, for  the  chances  are  that  the  excited  war  horses 
inside  may  do  some  damage  in  their  frantic  efforts  to 
get  out  and  follow  the  music.  Watch  farmers'  horses 
loose  in  a  field  when  hounds  are  in  the  vicinity,  and 
you  will  see  them  careering  madly  up  and  down,  as  if 
they  too  would  like  to  join  in  hunting  the  fox, 
although  their  avocation  in  life  dooms  them  to  the 
placid  work  of  drawing  a  plough  or  heavy  cart.     As 


IN   THE    FIELD.  333 

in  horses  so  in  men,  and  those  who  possess  the  sport- 
ing instinct  will  run  many  miles  in  the  hope  of 
catching  a  glimpse  of  a  hunt,  even  though  they  may 
never  be  able  to  follow  hounds  on  horseback.  These 
foot  people  are  not  welcomed  in  any  hunting  field,  but 
there  is  no  denying  that  they  are  keen  on  the  sport, 
or  they  would  not  tire  themselves  as  they  do,  in  their 
efforts  to  see  something  of  it.  Jorrocks  says:  "I 
often  thinks,  could  the  keen  foot-folks  change  places 
with  the  fumigatin'  yards  o'  leather  and  scarlet,  wot  a 
much  better  chance  there  would  be  for  the  chase ! 
They,  at  all  events,  come  out  from  a  genuine  inclina- 
tion for  the  sport,  and  not  for  mere  show  sake,  as  too 
many  do." 

If  a  lady  has  the  misfortune  to  own  a  hunter  who, 
on  refusing  a  fence,  shows  an  inclination  to  rear  on 
being  brought  up  to  it  again,  my  advice  would  be  to 
sell  him,  as  rearing  is  of  all  equine  vices  the  most 
dangerous,  and  a  woman  in  a  side-saddle  is  unable  to 
slip  off  over  the  tail  of  a  horse  who  is  standing  on  his 
hind  legs,  a  feat  I  have  seen  accomplished  by  men. 
Besides,  a  horse  who  will  try  to  rear  at  a  fence 
instead  of  jumping  it,  will  be  sure  to  revert  to  the 
same  form  of  defence,  whenever  the  will  of  his  rider 
does  not  coincide  with  that  of  his  own.  It  is  very 
unwise  to  lend  a  hunter  to  anyone  who  is  not  a 
thoroughly  good  rider.  I  had  in  Calcutta  a  clever 
Australian  horse  which  I  used  to  ride  in  the  paper- 
chases  that  are  run  over  a  "made"  course.  He 
had  never  refused  or  made  the  slightest  mistake  with 


334  HUNTING. 

me    until    I    lent    him    to    a    friend.      When    I    again 
rode  the  horse,   he  refused  with  me  at  the  first  fence. 
I   spoke  to  him,  took  him  again  at  It  and  he  jumped 
it,   but    I   had  a  similar   difficulty  at  another  obstacle, 
and    was    entirely  out    of    the    chase.      I    was    subse- 
quently told  by   those  who  knew   the    horse   that  the 
man   to  whom    I    had   lent   him   was   very   noisy,    had 
cut  the  animal   about  with  his  whip,  and  had  treated 
the  surprised  onlookers  to   scenes  with  him  at   every 
fence.      The    horse    had    a    light    snaffle    mouth,    and 
would  quickly  resent  any  undue   interference  with   it. 
It  is  unwise,  also,  to  lend  a  hunter  to  even  an  expert 
rider,  if  he  or  she  is  afflicted  with  a  bad  temper.      I 
heard  of   a  case  of  a    brilliant   hunter    beino-   lent   to 
an  accomplished  horsewoman   who  returned  him  after 
a    day's    hunting    with    large    wheals    on    his    body, 
showing  how  cruelly  she  had  used  her  whip  on  him. 
The  lady  to  whom  the   animal   belonged  was  greatly 
distressed    on    seeing    the    condition    of   her  favourite 
hunter,    who  was    one    of   the    best   that  ever  crossed 
Leicestershire.     A  whip,  as   I  have  said,  should  never 
be  used  with  the  object  of  Inflicting  pain,  but  as  an 
"aid."      It  is  a  good  plan  to  always  give  a  hunter  a 
touch  with  the  whip  when  sending  him  at  an  excep- 
tionally big  fence,  as  a  reminder  that  he  must  exert 
his    best    efforts  ;    but  in    order    that    the    horse    may 
thoroughly  understand  its  meaning,  it  should  be  used 
only  at  stiff  fences  ;  the  touch  should  not  be  so  severe 
as  to  hurt  him,  and  should  be  given  on  his  off  flank. 
A  horse  must  bring  his  quarters  to  the  right  before  he 


IN   THE    FIELD.  335 

can  run  out  to  the  left,  and  a  touch  on  the  off  flank  will 
help  to  keep  him  straight. 

If  a  lady  finds  herself  on  dangerous  or  difficult 
ground,  as  for  instance,  land  intersected  with  rabbit 
holes,  her  best  plan  will  be  to  slacken  the  pace  into  a 
trot  or  walk,  if  necessary,  and  leave  the  rest  to  her 
horse,  who  will  do  his  best  to  keep  a  firm  footing. 
Parts  of  the  South  African  veldt  are  dangerous  to  ride 
over  because  of  meerkat  holes,  but  the  horses  in  that 
country  are  marvellously  clever  in  avoiding  them,  if 
they  are  left  alone.  Rabbit  holes  are  responsible  for 
many  bad  accidents  in  hunting.  I  was  out  one  day 
with  the  Belvoir  on  a  young  mare  who  put  her  foot 
into  one  w^hile  going  at  a  smart  pace  over  ridge  and 
furrow.  She  wrenched  off  a  fore  shoe  and  pecked  so 
badly  that  I  thought  she  must  fall,  but  I  had  the  sense 
to  lean  back  and  leave  her  mouth  alone,  and  she  ap- 
peared to  save  herself  with  a  spare  leg  at  the  last 
moment,  recovering  her  balance  by  the  aid  of  the 
ridge  which  she  had  breasted.  Minus  a  fore  shoe,  I 
had  to  take  her  home  at  a  walk,  and  I  smiled  to  myself 
when  I  saw  her  make  a  vicious  stamp  at  a  rabbit  who 
was  in  the  act  of  disappearing  into  another  hole. 

A  lady  should  send  her  horse  at  a  good  pace  at  a 
brook  (Fig.  133),  but  not  at  top  speed,  as  he  will  not 
be  able  to  collect  himself  to  take  off  at  a  long  jump  if 
he  is  sent  at  it  at  full  gallop.  We  may  see  in  jump- 
ing competitions,  especially  at  the  Agricultural  Hall, 
that  a  clever  horse  can  clear  a  fair  expanse  of  water 
when  allowed  a  run  of  only  a  few  lengths.      The  water 


336  HUNTING. 

jump  at  the  Richmond  Show  is  placed  in  such  a  posi- 
tion that  a  horse  cannot  be  given  a  long  run  at  it,  and 
yet  many  horses  clear  it  easily.  It  measures,  I  believe, 
about  14  feet,  and  is  so  narrow  that  a  horse  I  once 
rode  over  it  showed  his  sense  by  clearing  the  width 
instead  of  the  length,  and  landing  near  the  stand.  I 
do  not  think  that  out  hunting  it  is  usual  to  expect  a 
horse  to  negotiate  a  water  jump  of  say  over  12  feet 
in  width.  Some  horses,  like  some  men,  possess  a 
special  aptitude  for  jumping  width,  although  they 
would  doubtless  be  poor  performers  at  height,  the 
style  of  jumping  being  entirely  different.  The  hunter 
who  is  equally  proficient  at  both  styles  of  fencing,  is  as 
rare  as  he  is  valuable.  Captain  Elmhirst  records  an 
instance  of  "  a  whole  Leicestershire  field  pounded  by 
12  feet  of  water,"  and  how  the  difficulty  was  at  last 
overcome  by  a  shallow  spot  being  discovered,  a  rail 
broken  down  and  the  field  '' slink  pitifully  through. 
How  we  hug  ourselves  as  we  gallop  under 
a  railway  arch,  to  find  we  have  bridged  a  bit  of  water 
that  would  frighten  no  one  outside  the  vaunted  Mid- 
lands." I  believe  the  reason  why  the  majority  of 
hunting  people  dislike  water  is  that  they  do  not  care 
to  ride  fast  at  it,  for  fear  of  being  crumpled  in  a  fall. 
I  do  not  aPTee  with  the  statement  that  a  hard  funker 

o 

rushes  at  his  fences.  Ignorance  and  enthusiasm  may 
lead  people  into  doing  that,  but  funk  oftener  than 
not  either  pilots  them  away  from  fences  entirely,  or 
incites  them  to  pull  their  horses  off  them,  and  then 
abuse    the    animals    for    refusing !      When    the    funky 


IN   THE    FIELD. 


337 


rider  does  make  up  his  mind  to  take  a  jump,  he 
generally  lets  everybody  near  know  It  by  the  noise 
he  makes,  ostensibly  to  encourage  his  horse,  but  in 
reality  to  keep  his  heart  in  the  right  place,  and  not  in 


Fig.  133.— Brook. 

his  mouth..  The  ignorant  horsewoman,  as  pointed  out 
by  the  Duchess  of  Newcastle,  rushes  her  horse  at 
difficult  obstacles,  because  she  is  fearless  of  dangers 
unknown  to  her ;  but  a  wholesome  fall  generally 
teaches  her  to  temper  valour  with  discretion.  If  a 
lady  finds  herself  on  a  horse  which  Is  pulling  too  hard 

22 


338  HUNTING. 

to  be  within  perfect  control,  she  should  stop  him  as 
soon  as  possible  and  take  him  home,  for  very  obvious 
reasons.  If  there  is  difficulty  in  stopping  him,  the 
best  way  is  to  try  and  keep  him  on  the  turn  until  he 
obeys  the  rein. 

The  presence  of  a  line  of  pollard  willows  in  the 
distance  (Fig.  134)  is  a  certain  sign  that  a  brook  is 
flowing  past  their  roots. 

In  going  through  woodland  country,  a  lady  should 
be  careful  to  lower  her  head  in  passing  under  trees 
and  to  ride  slowly.  It  is  essential  for  her  to  decide 
at  once  the  direction  which  she  intends  to  take,  to 
keep  her  horse  well  collected,  and  not  allow  him  to 
deviate  from  it  by  going  the  wrong  side  of  a  tree  or 
opening,  or  to  take  the  initiative  in  any  other  way. 
A  good  horsewoman  is  seen  to  great  advantage  in 
riding  through  woodland  country. 

CUB-HUNTING. 

A  lady  intending  to  hunt  should  obtain  as  much 
practice  in  the  cub-hunting  season  as  she  possibly  can  ; 
for  she  will  be  helping  to  get  both  herself  and  her 
hunters  into  condition,  and,  as  the  season  goes  on,  will 
gain  experience  of  what  fox-hunting  will  be  like.  In 
the  early  days  she  must  not  look  forward  to  having  a 
gallop,  for  hounds  are  being  taught  to  hunt  and  kill  a  cub 
in  covert,  and  the  most  useful  service  she  can  render  at 
such  times  is  to  stand  by  the  covert  side  and  prevent 
any  foxes  from  breaking  away.  I  believe  that  only 
people   who   are   really   fond  of  hunting  take   part   in 


CUB-HUNTING. 


339 


4-' 

X 

a 


in 

O 


S-H 


Ti- 
ro 


rl-( 


22 


* 


CUB-HUNTING.  34i 

cubbing,  because  they  must  rise  at,  say,  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning  and  dress  by  candle,  lamp,  or  gas-light. 
When  they  are  ready  to  ride  perhaps  a  long  distance  to 
covert,  there  is  often  only  sufficient  daylight  to  see 
with,  rain  drizzling  down  steadily  and  everything 
looking  cheerless.  A  light  meal,  if  it  be  only  a  cup  of 
cocoatina  and  a  slice  of  bread  and  butter,  should  be 
taken  before  starting,  and  if  it  is  wet  or  threatening,  a 
good  rain  coat  should  be  worn.  Towards  the  end  of 
September  and  throughout  October  there  will  be 
galloping  and  jumping,  and  often  the  pace  will  be  fast 
enough  for  the  condition  of  both  horse  and  rider,  as  we 
may  see  by  steaming  animals  and  flushed  faces  at  the 
end  of  a  run.  I  have  so  greatly  enjoyed  these  cub- 
hunting  runs  with  their  freedom  from  crowding  and 
crush,  that  I  can  heartily  endorse  the  opinion  of  Cap- 
tain Elmhirst,  who  says  :  "  Call  it  cub-hunting,  or  call 
it  what  you  like,  there  will  be  few  merrier  mornings 
before  Xmas  than  that  of  the  Quorn  on  the  last  days 
of  September."  It  seems  like  the  breaking  up  of  a 
family  party  when  the  cubbing  ceases  and  all  the  pomp 
and  circumstance  of  fox-hunting  commences.  1  often 
wonder  if  people  who  take  no  interest  whatever  in  cub- 
hunting,  but  who  regularly  appear  on  the  opening  day 
of  the  season,  really  ride  to  hunt,  or  hunt  to  ride  ? 
Jorrocks  tells  us  that,  "  Some  come  to  see,  others  to  be 
seen  ;  some  for  the  ride  out,  others  for  the  ride  'ome  ; 
some  for  happetites,  some  for  'ealth ;  some  to  get 
away  from  their  wives,  and  a  few  to  'unt."  Our  tyro 
who   is  enjoying  her  cubbing  will  be  wise  to   take  a 


42  HUNTING. 


back  place  on  the  opening  day  of  the  season,  and  thus 
avoid  being  jostled  by  the  mighty  crowd  she  will  see 
on  a  Kirby  Gate  day.  She  will  doubtless  find  her 
mount  far  more  excited  and  difficult  to  manage  than  ever 
before,  and  will  require  to  exert  a  good  deal  of  tact  and 
patience  in  restraining  his  ambition  to  catch  the  fox. 
The  opening  day  is  always  the  most  trying  one  of  the 
season.  All  the  world  and  his  wife  seem  to  be  at  the 
meet.  There  are  people  in  vehicles  of  every  kind,  on 
foot,  on  bicycles  and  tricycles,  as  well  as  about  four 
hundred  horsemen,  and  many  things  happen  on  this 
day  of  crowding  and  discomfort  which  must  sorely  tax 
the  patience  of  the  most  angelic  tempered  Master. 

A  lady  who  has  had  a  good  season  at  cub  hunting, 
ought  to  be  able  to  take  her  place  among  the  third-flight 
people,  where  she  will  gradually  gain  experience  and  a 
knowledge  of  the  country,  which  will  enable  her  to  pass 
into  the  second  rank,  and  finally  into  the  first  ;  but  she 
rhust  work  her  way  up  by  degrees,  and  remember  that 
no  one  can  ride  safely  over  Leicestershire  in  the  first 
flight  who  is  not  mounted  on  an  accomplished  per- 
former, and  is  not  thoroughly  well  acquainted  with  the 
country. 

KICKERS    AND    RED    BOWS. 

Unless  a  lady  is  perfectly  certain  that  her  mount 
will  not  lash  out  at  hounds,  she  should  keep  well 
away  from  them,  and  should  never  ride  into  a 
covert  where  they  are.  I  once  had  a  mare  of  this 
description  who  never  kicked  horses,  but  who  would 


KICKERS   AND    RED    BOWS.  343 

try  to  get  a  sly  kick  at  even  our  own  wow-wows 
during  a  hacking  ride.  We  had  some  foxhound  puppies 
at  walk,  but  I  never  allowed  her  to  get  near  them,  and 
our  own  dogs  got  so  artful  that  they  always  managed 
to  evade  her  kicks.  I  do  not  believe  that  mare  would 
ever  have  been  safe  with  hounds,  so  I  took  good  care 
to  give  her  no  opportunity  of  disgracing  the  pair  of  us 
in  the  hunting  field.  In  every  other  respect  she  was 
most  amiable.  As  there  are  inconsiderate  people  who 
ride  kickers,  a  lady  should  carefully  avoid  getting  near 
a  horse  whose  tail  is  adorned  with  a  red  bow.  If  this 
is  impossible,  and  it  often  is  in  crowds,  she  should  try 
and  keep  to  the  left  of  the  kicker,  so  that  if  he  lashes 
out  he  may  not  be  able  to  break  her  legs.  Scrutator 
in  his  book  on  FoxJmnting  points  out  that  "the  risks 
men  encounter  in  the  chase  are  great  enough  without 
being  subjected  to  the  chance  of  having  their  legs 
broken  by  a  bad-tempered  brute  at  the  covert  side." 
I  once  had  the  misfortune  to  see  a  man's  leg  broken 
by  a  vicious  kicker  in  Leicestershire.  Another  case 
happened  while  I  was  in  Cheshire,  and  yet  these 
dangerous  be-ribboned  animals  can  still  be  seen  in 
almost  every  hunting  field. 

We  must  here  draw  a  sharp  line  of  distinction 
between  horses  which  kick  from  vice,  and  those, 
especially  young  ones  full  of  corn  and  short  of  work, 
which  throw  up  their  heels  from  exuberance  of 
spirits.  Many  mares,  particularly  in  springtime,  are 
apt  to  kick  from  causes  which  I  need  not  discuss. 
Hence,  geldings  are  more  free  from  this  baneful  habit 


344  HUNTING. 

than  their    female  relations,  and  are   consequently,  as 
a  rule,   more    reliable  mounts.     Great   care  should  be 
observed   in  gradually  accustoming  a  young  horse  to 
placidly  bear  the  excitement  of  being  surrounded  by  a 
large  number  of  his  equine  companions,  and  he  should 
thoroughly  learn  this  part  of  his  education  before  he  is 
required  to  quit  the  outskirts  of  the  field,  and  take  his 
place  as  a  hunter.      This  preliminary  training  of  course 
comes  under  the  heading  of  breaking  and  not  of  hunting. 
A  young  horse  "  turned  out  "  in  the  open,  not  unfre- 
quently  gives  a  companion  a  playful  kick,  which  very 
seldom  inflicts  any  injury,  because  it  has  no  "  venom  " 
in  it,  and  the  hoof  that  administers  the  tap  is  unshod. 
I  have  even  seen  mares  with  a  foal  at  foot,  give  the 
young  one  a  slight  push  with  the  hind  hoof,  to  make 
him  get  out  of  the  way.      The  motives  of  such  taps  are 
of  course  entirely  different  from  the  dangerous  malevo- 
lence that  prompts  a  confirmed  kicker  to  "  lash  out  "  at 
horse  or  man  who  comes  within  striking  distance.     We 
should  bear  in  mind  that  a  touch  behind  is  very  apt  to 
provoke  a  kick,  whether  of  the  vicious,  playful  or  get- 
out-of-the-way  kind.      Hence  a  rider  should  always  be 
careful  never  to  allow  her  horse's  head  to  touch   the 
hind  quarters  of   an  animal  in  front,   which  is  a  pre- 
caution   that    is    of   special    application    in    crowds  of 
pulled-up  horses.      Also,  on  such  occasions,  she  should 
keep  him  straight  and  should  prevent  him  from  reining 
back.     Any  man  or  woman    who    knowingly    rides   a 
kicker  in  a  large  hunting  field,  is  guilty  of  disgraceful 
conduct  ;  because  it  is  impossible  for  everyone  to  get 


BLOOD.  345 

out  of  reach  of  this  bone-breaker's  heels,  during  the 
frequent  stoppages  which  occur  out  hunting.  Some 
persons  have  a  red  bow  put  on  their  animal's  tail,  or 
they  place  a  hand  at  the  small  of  their  back,  with  the 
palm  turned  to  the  rear,  as  a  sly  device  to  get  more 
elbow-room  in  crowds.  It  is  evident  that  such  artful 
tricks  are  unworthy  of  imitation. 

BLOOD. 

With  full  consideration  of  the  importance  of  blood 
for  making  hounds  keen,  I  must  say  that  the  digging 
out  of  foxes  is  a  phase  of  hunting  that  I  greatly  dislike 
to  witness.  I  do  not  think  that  any  writer  has  put 
this  question  more  fairly  than  Captain  Elmhirst,  who 
says: — "We  must  grant  that  hounds  are  glad  to  get 
hold  of  their  fox  ;  but  we  cannot  grant  that  it  is  at  all 
necessary  that  they  should  do  so.  In  a  well-stocked 
country  he  must  be  a  very  bad  huntsman  who  cannot 
find  them  blood  enough  by  fair  killing ;  while  in  a 
badly  stocked  one  it  is  very  certain  you  cannot  afford 
wanton  bloodshed.  Moreover,  it  is  almost  an  allowed 
fact  that  hounds  w^ell  blooded  in  the  cub-hunting  season 
do  not  require  it  to  any  extent  afterwards  ;  and  many 
authorities  maintain  that  a  good  '  flare  up  '  of  triumph 
and  excitement  over  the  mouth  of  an  earth  is  just  as 
effectual  and  satisfactory  to  hounds  as  an  actual  worry. 

'*  And  what  do  the  field  think  of  it  ?  They  hate  and 
abominate  it,  each  and  every  one  of  them.  They 
neither  sympathise  with  the  feeling  that  prompts  the 
act,  nor  hold  with   the  expediency  of  its  commission. 


346  HUNTING 

To  them  It  represents  no  pleasure,  and  certainly 
coincides  with  none  of  their  notions  of  sport.  They 
would  find  much  greater  fun  In  seeing  rats  killed  In  a 
barn,  and  derive  from  the  sight  a  much  higher  sense  of 
satisfaction.  Condemned,  probably,  to  stand  about  In 
the  cold,  unwilling  witnesses  of  what  they  heartily 
detest,  they  spend  the  time  In  giving  vent  to  their 
annoyance  and  contempt.  .  .  .  Finally,  fox-digging, 
in  the  sense  we  refer  to.  Is  a  crying  enormity,  a  disgrace 
to  a  noble  sport,  and  should  be  put  down  as  rigorously 
as  vivisection." 

Tearing  a  poor  fox  to  pieces  Is  a  sight  which  very 
few  women  would  care  to  watch,  except  those  manly 
ones  who  take  a  delight  in  killing  wild  animals  them- 
selves. Such  persons  would  be  able  to  look  unmoved 
at  a  bullock  being  pole  axed,  without  losing  a  particle 
of  their  appetite  for  a  cut  off  his  sirloin. 

COMING    HOME. 

We  are  accustomed  to  associate  hunting  with  pleasant 
runs  ;  but  there  are  days  when  covert  after  covert  is 
drawn  blank  and  a  fox  not  found  until  late.  Sometimes, 
but  very  rarely,  we  have  an  entirely  blank  day.  A  lady 
with  only  one  hunter  out  should  use  her  own  judgment 
about  participating  in  a  late  run.  A  great  deal  would 
depend  on  the  distance  the  animal  has  travelled  and  the 
length  of  the  journey  home.  Some  people  ignorantly 
Imagine  that  a  hunter  should  be  kept  out  until  he  has 
had  a  run,  unless  the  day  proves  entirely  blank,  however 
tired  he  may  be.      If  it  is  necessary  for  people  who  stay 


COMING    HOME.  347 

out  all  day  to  ride  second  horses,  it  is  equally  important 
that  the  one-horse  lady  should  know  when  her  mount 
has  had  enough.  It  is  always  a  safe  plan  for  her  to 
retire  at  the  "change  of  horses";  for  there  is  no 
pleasure  in  continuing  to  hunt  on  a  tired  animal,  and 
there  is  certainly  danger  in  so  doing.  Old-time 
sportsmen  were  content  with  one  horse  a  day. 
"  Scrutator  "  tells  us  that  in  the  time  of  Mr.  Meynell 
*'  it  was  not  the  fashion  to  have  second  horses  in 
the  field."  If  I  may  express  an  opinion,  I  think 
that  many  ladies  are  inclined  to  regard  horses  as 
machines,  and  expect  too  much  from  them.  This  is 
probably  due  to  that  unfortunate  saying  "as  strong 
as  a  horse,"  estimating  the  standard  of  mechanical 
power  as  "  horse  power,"  and  so  forth.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  our  domestic  cat  would  dislike  the  person 
who  said  that  cats  have  nine  lives.  A  horse  is,  in 
reality,  by  no  means  as  strong  as  many  of  us  imagine, 
and  his  legs  are  a  continual  source  of  anxiety.  Ladies 
who  hunt  should  get  a  veterinary  book,  preferably 
Vetei'inary  Notes  fo7'  Horse-owners,  and  when  they 
have  read  it  through,  they  will  not  be  likely  to  overtax 
the  powers  of  their  hunters.  I  once  saw  in  an  old 
Graphic  a  picture  of  Lady  Somebody's  mare  which 
that  worthy  dame  had  ridden  to  death.  The  animal 
had,  it  was  explained,  gone  brilliantly  with  her  ladyship 
that  clay  and  had  fallen  dead  w^hile  passing  through  a 
village.  The  artist  had  drawn  the  poor  mare  stretched 
out,  surrounded  by  an  inquisitive  field,  and  the  owner 
posed  as  the  heroine  of  a  great  achievement,  instead  of 


348  HUNTING. 

one  who  had  rendered  herself  liable  to  prosecution  for 
cruelty  to  animals.  I  feel  sure  that  no  woman  would 
knowingly  commit  such  a  heartless  action.  When  a 
horse  begins  to  show  signs  of  distress,  his  rider  should 
instantly  pull  up,  and,  if  necessary,  walk  him  quietly 
home.  His  "  state  of  condition  "  should  always  be  taken 
into  account  at  such  times.  The  hurried  and  distressed 
state  of  a  horse's  breathing,  and  his  laboured  action, 
are  sure  signs  to  the  experienced  horsewoman  that  the 
animal  has  had  enough.  To  persons  who  know  little 
or  nothing  about  horses,  the  fact  of  their  usually  free- 
going  mount  ceasing  to  go  up  to  his  bridle  and  to 
answer  an  encouraging  shake  of  the  reins  or  touch  of 
the  whip,  are  valuable  indications  that  he  should  be 
pulled  up,  either  into  a  trot  or  walk.  If  he  is  in  hard 
condition,  a  respite  from  exertion,  for  ten  minutes  or 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  will  make  him  all  right  for  another 
gallop,  which  should  be  given  with  due  circumspection. 
If  the  horse  is  not  in  thorough  galloping  condition  he 
should  be  taken  home  at  a  quiet  walk.  Keeping  a 
horse  standing,  especially  in  a  cold  wind,  after  a 
fatiguing  run,  is  not  an  unfrequent  means  of  giving 
the  animal  congestion  of  the  lungs.  A  wise  woman 
will  take  care  of  a  good  hunter,  for  such  animals  are 
not  easy  to  replace,  and,  as  Jorrocks  says,  "  We  know 
what  we  'ave,  but  we  don't  know  what  we  may  get." 
If  a  lady  intends  to  ride  her  hunter  home,  it  would 
greatly  conduce  to  his  comfort,  and  possibly  her  own, 
especially  if  she  has  been  several  hours  in  the  saddle, 
to   dismount   for,  say,  a  quarter  of  an  hour,   have  her 


COMING    HOME.  349 

horse  quietly  led  about,  and  then  ride  him  home  at  a 
walk.  If  she  is  using  a  second  horse,  it  is  always  wise 
to  get  her  second  horseman  to  take  the  saddle  off  her 
first  horse  and  rub  his  back  well  with  the  hand, 
especially  at  the  off  side  of  the  withers  and  of  the 
back,  under  the  cantle,  in  order  to  restore  the  circula- 
tion of  the  part  before  taking  him  home.  The  animal 
ought  to  be  given  an  opportunity  of  refreshing  himself 
by  drinking  at  a  brook  or  trough  on  his  homeward 
way.  No  harm  can  arise  from  a  horse  drinking  cold 
water  when  at  work,  however  hot  he  may  be,  if  his 
exercise  be  continued  at  a  slow  pace  for  a  short  time. 

A  lady's  hunter  should  always  be  examined,  if 
possible  by  his  mistress,  or  by  one  of  the  male 
members  of  her  family,  on  his  return  from  a  day 
with  the  hounds,  and  his  back  and  legs  should 
receive  special  attention.  The  chief  accidents  which 
are  liable  to  happen  by  such  work,  are  sprains  of 
tendons  and  ligaments  below  the  knees,  over-reaches, 
cuts,  punctures  from  thorns,  and  injuries  from  the 
saddle.  It  is  not  within  the  province  of  this  book  to 
deal  with  such  subjects,  and  few  ladies  would  go 
through  the  bother  of  studying  them.  Nevertheless, 
there  are  some  exceptions,  as  we  may  see  by  the 
comparatively  large  number  of  lady  doctors,  and  by 
the  fact  that  only  the  narrow-minded  policy  of  the 
Royal  College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  prevented  Miss 
Custance,  who  had  studied  at  the  Edinburgh  New 
Veterinary  College,  from  obtaining  her  diploma,  to 
which  she  was   fully  entitled   by  her  scientific  attain- 


350  HUNTING. 

ments  and  practical  experience.  Those  of  my  readers 
who  wish  to  understand  the  treatment  of  horses  In 
health  and  disease,  cannot  do  better,  as  far  as  books 
are  concerned,  than  to  study  my  husband's  Stable 
Management  and  Exercise,  and  Veterinary  Notes  for 
Horse-owners. 

One  point  about  the  examination  of  a  hard-ridden 
hunter  which  is  within  the  comprehension  of  even 
an  Inexperienced  girl,  Is  the  detection  and  proper 
treatment  of  lumps  on  his  back  which  have  been 
produced  during  the  ride  by  hurtful  pressure  of  the 
saddle,  and  which  almost  always  appear  on  the  off 
side  of  the  withers,  and  on  the  off  side  of  the  back, 
near  where  the  cantle  rested.  If  these  swellings  be 
neglected,  they  will  probably  become  developed  Into 
abscesses,  which  will  Incapacitate  the  animal  from 
work  for  a  month  or  longer.  An  admirable  way  of 
treating  them,  as  soon  as  the  saddle  Is  removed.  Is 
to  pour  some  whiskey,  brandy  or  other  spirit  Into 
the  hollow  of  the  hand,  apply  It  to  the  lump,  and 
rub  the  swelling  briskly  with  the  palm  of  the  hand 
for  at  least  five  minutes.  I  have  often  seen  a  large 
swelling  of  this  kind  visibly  decrease  In  size  during 
this  process,  which,  in  the  many  cases  I  have 
witnessed,  always  caused  the  lump  to  disappear  by 
the  following  morning.  In  applying  this  form  of 
niassage,  no  delay  should  occur,  after  removing  the 
saddle,  which  should  always  be  taken  off  the  moment 
the  animal  returns  to  his  stable,  and  his  back  well 
rubbed  with  the  hand    or    with   a  dry  whisp  of  straw 


RIDER'S    PHYSICAL   CONDITION.  351 

or  hay.  When  entrusting  the  carrying  out  of  this 
treatment  to  the  groom,  care  should  be  taken  that 
the  spirit  is  administered  externally  to  the  horse,  and 
not  internally  to  the  man.  If  spirit  be  not  available, 
careful  friction  with  the  palm  of  the  hand  will  gene- 
rally be  sufficient  to  ensure  the  desired  result.  This 
treatment  should  not  be  applied,  if  the  skin  over  the 
part  is  broken,  for  in  that  somewhat  rare  case  the 
friction  would  irritate  the  wound. 

rider's  physical  condition. 

The  young  or  old  Diana,  especially  if  she  is  not 
in  hard  riding  condition,  is  very  apt  to  get  rubbed, 
generally  by  the  cantle  of  the  saddle.  If  the  skin  is 
cut,  a  dry  dressing  of  tannoform,  which  is  a  powder 
that  can  be  got  from  a  chemist,  will  be  found  a 
good  and  speedy  remedy  ;  and  is  also  useful  for  cuts 
in  horses.  It  would  be  injudicious  to  ride  again,  or 
to  have  an  injured  hunter  ridden  again,  until  such  an 
abrasion  has  healed. 

It  is  essential  for  a  lady  who  intends  to  hunt,  to 
be  able  to  ride  a  fast  gallop  without  becoming 
"  blown."  Some  hunting  ladies  do  preparatory  work 
cubbing  or  with  the  Devon  and  Somerset  Staghounds. 
Those  who  are  obliged  to  forego  these  pleasant 
methods  of  ''getting  fit,"  would  do  well  to  get  into 
fairly  good  condition  by  long  walks  or  bicycle  rides. 
I  would  warn  my  young  readers  that  all  fast  exercise 
should  be  taken  gradually  and  in  moderation,  and 
that  they  should  never  disregard  symptoms  of  fatigue  ; 


352  HUNTING. 

because  when  muscles  are   tired,  they    are    unable    to 
act  with  strength  and  precision. 

TIPS    AND    THANKS. 

We  should  always  remember  to  carry  some  small 
change  in  our  pockets  to  be  given  as  tips  to  gate- 
openers  and  any  poor  persons  whose  services  we 
accept. 

And  now,  gentle  ladies,  let  me  remind  you  never  to 
forget  to  render  thanks  to  every  person,  gentle  or 
simple,  who  may,  by  the  performance  of  some  kindly 
act,  have  helped  to  contribute  towards  your  day's 
enjoyment.  We  should  also  try  to  be  as  useful  as 
possible  to  each  other  ;  for  we  all  admire  that  "  nice 
pleasant  woman  "  who,  instead  of  attempting  to  hold  us 
up  to  ridicule  if  our  "back  hair"  is  falling  down,  or 
anything  has  happened  which  ruffles  our  appearance, 
rides  up  and  quietly  brings  the  fact  to  our  notice.  I 
have  heard  female  voices  audibly  ''picking  holes"  in 
a  lady's  mount,  which  is  very  unkind  ;  for  their  poorer 
sister  was  doubtless  riding  the  best  horse  she  could 
get,  and  the  hearing  of  such  rude  remarks  may 
entirely  spoil  her  day's  pleasure. 

THE    HORN. 

Mr.  J.  Anstruther  Thompson  in  his  most  instructive 
book,  Hints  to  Huntsmen,  gives  the  following  horn 
notes  and  explanation  of  their  meaning.  Ladies  who 
intend  to  hunt  should  study  the  music  of  the  horn  in 
order  that  they  may  understand  what  hounds  are  doing 


THE    HORN. 


353 


in  covert  (Fig.  135),  and  be  ready  to  start  off  as  soon 
as  they  hear  the  recognised  signal. 

"  To  call  hounds  on  when  drawing  a  covert." 


zs; 


"  A  prolonged  swelling  note  to  call  them  away." 


rj  f^  r_j 


"  A  long  single  note  when  all  are  away." 


32: 


u 


A  double  note  when  on  a  scent  (called  doubling  the  horn)." 


g         < ■         p         #    zziz 


"Two  short  notes  and  a  long  one  for  '  Gone  away 


3  jj 


-a       p       ''^ 


-#      #      <j  przzjtzzz^-mMz 


~#     r^ 


C(   ( 


Tally-ho  !  back,'  on  horn  and  crack  of  whip." 


"  A  rattle  for  '  Whoo,  whoop. 
tr 


1  •)■) 


z?ir. 


^ 


—     1 


From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  it  is  necessary 

to  be  on  the   alert  for  short  notes,    because  they  mean 

business,   while  the  long  ones    denote   a  covert  drawn 

blank. 

23 


354  HUNTING. 


HIRELINGS. 

The  large  majority  of  hunting  women  ride  their 
own  animals,  or  mounts  lent  them  by  friends ;  but 
some  less  fortunate  ones  have  to  content  themselves 
with  hirelings,  many  of  which  are  unreliable  convey- 
ances, because  they  pass  through  so  many  hands,  that 
they  run  a  great  risk  of  being  spoiled  by  bad  riders, 
and  In  that  respect,  horses  have  unfortunately  very 
retentive  memories.  From  two  to  three  guineas  Is  the 
usual  charge  for  a  day;  and  from  ;^I2  to  ^20  for  a 
month.  In  both  cases,  the  job-master  has  to  bear  all 
reasonable  risks.  A  person  who  hires  a  horse  for 
longer  than  a  day,  has  to  keep  the  animal  and  pay 
for  his  shoeing.  ;^i5  a  month  Is  a  reasonable  charge 
for  the  loan  of  a  good  hunter.  When  wishing  to  hire 
by  the  month,  It  is  well  to  go  to  a  job-master  who  has 
a  large  collection  of  hirelings,  like  Mr.  Sam  Hames 
of  Leicester,  so  that  the  hirer  may  get  a  change  of 
mounts.  In  the  event  of  the  first  not  being  suitable. 

I  have  ridden  a  few  hirelings,  but  hunting  on 
them  gave  me  no  pleasure  ;  because  I  was  entirely 
Ignorant  of  their  capabilities,  and  It  Is  not  a  pleasant 
feeling  to  ride  at  a  nasty  fence  with  a  big  note  of 
interrogation  sticking  in  one's  heart.  "  Scrutator  "  In 
his  interesting  book,  Foxhunting,  says  he  ''  never  could 
find  any  pleasure  in  riding  strange  horses.  They 
neither  understand  your  way  of  doing  business,  nor 
you    theirs,    so    there    must    of    necessity    be    doubts 


HIRELINGS. 


355 


FARMERS    AND   WIRE.  357 

and  drawbacks  until  both  become  more  intimately 
acquainted."  I  have  seen  so  many  bad  accidents 
happen  to  men  who  were  riding  hired  hunters,  that 
I  cannot  too  strongly  impress  on  my  readers  the 
necessity  of  letting  caution  mark  the  guarded  way, 
by  testing  a  strange  mount  at  small  fences  to  see 
how  he  shapes,  before  taking  unwise  risks.  Last 
season,  a  young  man  who  was  hunting  with  the 
Pytchley  on  a  hireling  came  a  cropper  at  the  first 
fence,  staked  his  mount  and  got  a  kick  in  the  head. 
He  was  greatly  distressed  about  the  poor  horse  which 
the  dealer  had  assured  him  could  "jump  anything," 
a  feat  that  no  hunter  in  the  world  can  perform. 
An  accident  of  this  kind  with  a  hired  hunter  is  a 
most  unpleasant  occurrence ;  because,  if  the  bruised 
and  mud-stained  horseman  happens  to  be  a  stranger 
to  the  dealer,  the  latter  will  naturally  blame  his 
riding,  while  the  injured  one  who  has  to  break  the 
news  as  gently  as  possible,  will  consider  that  he  has 
been  misled  concerning  the  animal's  jumping  capabili- 
ties. Jorrocks's  advice,  "know  your  horse,"  should 
be  engraved  in  capital  letters  on  the  heart  of  every- 
one who  hunts,  as  its  observance  would  prevent  many 
distressing  accidents  both  to  humans  and  equines. 


FARMERS    AND    WIRE. 


There  is  very  little  wire  in  Leicestershire,  though 
it  is  far  too  common  in  other  parts  of  the  Shires. 
Fences  where  the  warning  red  board  (Fig.  136)  or  red 


358  HUNTING. 

rag  (Fig.  i^^^)  is  seen,  should  be  avoided,  as  these 
signals  denote  the  presence  of  wire.  As  these  death- 
traps bear  no  warning  notice  in  some  places  (Fig.  138), 
it  behoves  people  hunting  in  such  countries  to  keep  a 
sharp   look-out    for  unmarked    w^ire    and    iron    hurdles 

(Fig-  139). 

Some  farmers  appear  to  use  wire  in  an  un- 
necessary manner.  For  instance,  placing  it  on  the  top 
of  a  gate  (Fig.  140)  seems  to  have  no  raison  d'etre, 
except  to  hurt  unfortunate  hunters  which  in  breasting 
such  a  gate  to  push  it  open,  are  apt  to  get  badly 
pricked  and  run  suddenly  back  to  avoid  it,  w^ith  the 
possible  result  of  injury  to  both  horses  and  riders 
behind  them.  Also,  I  have  seen  wire  put  up  in  fields 
in  which  there  were  no  cattle,  and  removed  after  the 
hunting  season,  to  duly  appear  again  in  the  following- 
one.  Other  tricks,  such  as  sending  sheep-dogs  to  head 
foxes,  and  stationing  farm  hands  to  shout  ''  wire  !"  where 
there  is  none,  have  also  come  under  my  personal 
notice.  Indeed  it  is  impossible  to  live  in  the  country, 
without  observing  such  acts  of  hostility  on  the  part  of 
farmers  towards  ''hunting  people."  I  cannot  help 
thinking  that  much  of  this  tension  might  be  removed, 
if  every  hunt  secretary  followed  the  example  of  Colonel 
Francis  Henry,  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Duke  of 
Beaufort's  Hunt,  of  whom  we  read  in  B ally's  Magazine 
of  March,  1902  : — *'  Colonel  Henry,  who,  in  the  opinion 
of  his  numerous  friends,  seems  to  possess  the  secret  of 
eternal  youth,  contrives  to  enquire  personally  into  every 
complaint  that    is    sent    to    him,    w^hether    relating    to 


FARMERS   AND   WIRE. 


359 


O 


tS) 


FARMERS   AND    WIRE.  361 

damaged  fences,  loss  of  poultry  or,  rarely,  '  wire  offences.' 
There  is  no  better    known    figure    in    Gloucestershire 
than  that  of  Colonel  Henry  on  his  hack,  one  of  his  own 
breeding  by  the  way,    w^hich   carries   him  on   his  long- 
rides  ;  he  is  wont  to  say  that  in  dealing  with  a  grievance 
'one    visit  is   worth  a  dozen  letters.'      His    geniality, 
and  the  painstaking  care   with   which   he   investigates 
every  matter  to  which  his  attention  is  called,  dissipate 
at  their  beginning  many  difficulties  which,  handled  with 
less   sympathetic    diplomacy,  w^ould  '  come   to  a  head  ' 
and    produce    the    friction    which    tells    against    sport. 
Landowners,   farmers,  and  business    men  alike   in   the 
Badminton  country  are  keen  supporters  of  fox-hunting, 
and  their  attitude  towards  the  sport  is  due  in   no  small 
degree  to  the  unremitting  attention  and   care   for   their 
interests   displayed  by  the   honorary  secretary  both   in 
winter  and  summer."     The  truth   of  Colonel    Henry's 
remark  that   one    visit    is    worth  a  dozen    letters,    was 
exemplified  to  me   the   other  day    by    an    old    lady,    a 
farmer's     wife,    who     regretted     the     sad     change     in 
"  hunting  people "  since  her  young   days,   when   they 
"  used  to  come  in  and  chat  with  me  as  affable  as  could 
be."    She  mentioned  the  name  of  Mr.  Wroughton,  who 
partook  of  some  of  her  "cowslip  wine,"  and   so   much 
was  she  impressed    with    the    visit    that    every    small 
detail  of  it,  even  the    year,  month,  day   and   hour,  and 
also  where  he  sat  in  her  parlour,    remains  a  treasured 
memory.      He  made  a  friend  who  will  always  speak  of 
him  in  the  highest  terms,  because  he   was    nice    and 
civil  to  her,  and  it  seems   to  be  a  matter  for   regret 


362  HUNTING. 

that  this   friendly  feeling   is   not   more  generally  culti- 
vated than  it  is  in  hunting  districts. 

Unfortunately,  the  old-fashioned  motherly,  hard- 
working farmer's  wife  is  a  type  of  woman  which  is 
rapidly  dying  out,  and  the  modern  specimen  belongs  to 
that  large  and  useless  brigade  of  "perfect  ladies"  who 
are  above  their  position  and  who  regard  work  as  undig- 
nified. I  recently  saw  an  advertisement  from,  a  farmer's 
daughter  who  said  in  it  that  she  had  offers  of  plenty  of 
mounts,  but  wanted  some  lady  to  give  her  a  riding 
habit  !  Surely  it  would  have  been  far  better  for  her  to 
have  worked  and  earned  one,  instead  of  cadging  in 
such  a  manner  for  her  amusement  ?  Proverbially  bad 
as  our  fresh  butter  in  the  Midlands  is,  I  fear  the  time 
is  approaching  when  butter  making  will  entirely  cease, 
for,  with  few  exceptions,  farmers'  daughters  are  not 
trained  to  do  dairy  work.  A  modern  "  young  lady" 
from  a  farm,  who  had  been  educated  in  a  Board  school, 
applied  to  a  well  known  lady  of  title  for  a  situation  as 
governess ;  but  her  ladyship  pointed  out  that  her 
educational  attainments  did  not  qualify  her  for  such  a 
post,  and  suggested  that  she  should  obtain  employment 
as  a  parlourmaid.  Needless  to  say  that  the  farmer's 
daughter  scorned  the  idea  of  thus  "  lowering " 
herself!  Even  the  daughters  of  farm  labourers  nowa- 
days ride  their  bicycles,  instead  of  going  out  to  service 
as  their  mothers  and  grandmothers  did  before  them, 
and  dress  themselves  ridiculously  out  of  keeping  with 
their  position  and  surroundings.  It  seems  very 
incongruous  to  see  such   girls   living  in   indolence  in 


FARMERS    AND    WIRE. 


363 


FARMERS    AND    WIRE. 


365 


country  villages,  while  the  daughters  of  their  parson, 
as  frequently  happens  in  large  families,  turn  out  and 
earn  their  own  livelihood. 


Fig.  138. — "  'Ware  wire." 


It  would  cost  very  little  to  give  an  annual  ball,  say, 
after  the  Hunt  ball  and  before  the  decorations  were 
taken  down,  to  farmers  and  their  wives  and  any  local 
residents  who  help  towards    the    support  of  hunting, 


366  HUNTING. 

and  I    feel   sure    that    an    entertainment    of  this    kind 
would  be  productive  of  beneficial  results.      In  order  to 
make  it  a  success,  it    would    have  to  be  attended    by- 
some  of  the   members  of  the  local   Hunt,  and   not   in 
any    way    bear    the    stamp    of    a    charity    ball ;     for 
untravelled   middle-class    people   in    this    country    are, 
as    a    rule,   very   ''select,"    and   eaten    up    with    social 
ambition,  and  many  who  would  not  think  of  attend- 
ing   a    subscription    dance,    would    be    attracted    by 
"an   invitation   Hunt   ball."      Besides,    after    all,   even 
if  local    residents    and    farmers    pay    their    guinea    to 
be   present  at  an  annual   Hunt    ball,  they  feel   them- 
selves rather  "out  of  it,"  if  they  are  not    personally 
acquainted   with    anyone    in    the    room,    and    wisely 
avoid    such  dreary   functions.     It    is   recorded  of  Mr. 
Conyers  that    he   once   presented   every  farmer's  wife 
in  his  hunting  district  with   a  silk  dress,   saying  that 
the  ladies  must  be  propitiated  if  hunting  is  to  flourish. 
One    of    the    reasons    why    hunting    is    unpopular 
among    farmers    is   the    selfish    and    reckless    manner 
in  which  many   followers  of  a   hunt  ride  over  arable 
land  ;  the  greatest  sinners  in  this  respect  being  those 
who  reside  in  towns,  and  who,  knowing  nothing  about 
agriculture,  err  more  from  ignorance  than  indifference. 
Unless    vegetation    stares    them     in    the    face,    they 
evidently  think  there  is  no  harm  in  riding  over  ploughed 
land,  no  matter  how  distinctly  the  smoothly-harrowed 
surface    and    carefully    prepared     drains    indicate    the 
presence  of  seed  underneath.      In  such  a  case,  our  best 
plan  would  be  to  skirt  along,  as  near  as  possible,  the 


FARMERS   AND   WIRE. 


6; 


hedge  or  other  boundary,  even  if  we  have  to  go  a  little 
out  of  our  way.  Riding  over  cultivated  ''  heavy  "  (clay) 
land,    especially   if    its    surface  is    wet,    is   particularly 


Fig.  139. — Iron  hurdle. 


hurtful  to  the  crop,  because  each  imprint  of  a  horse's 
foot  will  form  a  small  pool  of  water,  which  will  rot 
the    seed    inside    it.       In    'Might"    (sandy)    land,    the 


368  HUNTING. 

water    In   such    holes  will  quickly  drain  off,  and  little 
or  no  injury  will  be  done.      While  hoping  that  young 
horsewomen  will  not  allow  their  enthusiasm  for  hunt- 
ing to  outweigh  their  sense  of  prudence  when  steering 
their  horses  over  farmers'  land,  I   would  entreat  them 
to    also    "hold    hard"    when    approaching    allotment 
ground,    for    this    land    is    rented,  as   a    rule,    by    the 
poorest  of  the  poor,    who   have  no  gardens  in  which 
to   grow    vegetables,    etc.,   for   their  use,   and   a  small 
field  of,  say,   a  few  acres  may  be  cultivated  by  several 
villagers    and    their  children   in  their  "spare    time    of 
evenings."     Each  tenant  has    his  own  patch  of  allot- 
ment   land    on  which   he  grows  what   he  requires  for 
his  use.      In  winter  we  may  frequently  see  the  entire 
field   under  wheat  cultivation,  as   many  poor   families 
grow  their  own  grain,  which  the  local  miller  grinds  into 
flour,  and  in  this  way  they  save  the  baker's  bill,  as  they 
make  their  own  bread.     To  ride  over  and  destroy  their 
small  crops  is  a  sin  which   I  am  sure  no  lady  would 
knowingly  commit,  and,  therefore,  it  behoves  us  all  to 
exercise  due  circumspection  when  we  find  ourselves  on 
arable  land. 

Also,  on  pasture  land  we  have  need  to  temper  valour 
with  discretion,  and  especially  after  Christmas,  when 
ewes  and  cows  are  heavy  with  young,  and  are  not  in  a 
fit  state  to  safely  endure  the  dual  evil  of  fright  and 
violent  exercise.  Later  on,  when  lambs  have  appeared, 
it  is  cruel  to  gallop  so  near  these  mothers  and  their 
young,  as  to  cause  suffering.  Sheep  are  such  stupid 
animals  that  they  appear  to  have  no  idea  of  evading 


FARMERS   AND    WIRE. 


369 


•t-t 

b/3 


a, 

o 
■I-) 

o 


o 


4 


FARMERS   AND   WIRE.  371 

a  crowd  ;  and  cattle,  as  a  rule,  lose  their  heads  from 
fright,  and  career  madly  about  their  fields,  sometimes 
for  two  or  three  days  after  the  sudden  passing  of  a  hunt. 
When  a  gate  is  negligently  left  open,  and  the  terrified 
animals  avail  themselves  of  this  method  of  escape,  the 
unfortunate  farmer  will  generally  have  great  trouble  in 
finding  and  bringing  them  back,  because  they  often  go 
long  distances,  and  he  has  seldom  any  means  of  knowing 
what  route  they  have  taken.  Horses  give  him  far 
more  trouble  than  cattle  in  this  respect,  because  they 
can  travel  faster  and  farther.  I  have  seen  ladies  who 
have  the  interests  of  hunting  deeply  at  heart — Mrs. 
James  Hornsby,  for  instance — ride  back  and  fasten 
gates  which  have  been  carelessly  left  open. 

One  grievance  which  lies  very  near  the  heart  of  a 
farmer,  because  I  suppose  it  frequently  touches  his 
pocket,  is  the  damage  done  to  his  fences,  especially 
during  a  check,  by  people  who  unnecessarily  potter 
through  small  gaps,  which,  after  they  have  finished, 
resemble  open  spaces.  The  farmer  who  has  to  get 
them  mended  speaks  very  bitterly  about  fox-hunting, 
especially  if  he  has  to  do  the  repairing  at  his  own 
expense,  as  he  argues  that  if  it  was  necessary  to  work 
a  passage  in  this  manner  through  his  hedge,  the  field 
might  have  been  content  with  one  open  door  instead 
of  making  several.  A  farmer  in  the  North  Cheshire 
country  was  so  irate  on  this  point  that  on  one  occasion 
when  the  hunt  wanted  to  cross  his  land,  he  and  his  men 
gave  us  a  welcome  with  pitchforks ! 

A  kind  of  farmer  whom  I  despise   is   the  man  that 

24* 


372  HUNTING. 

hunts  on  the  free  list  and  pretends  to  support  fox- 
hunting, while  he  keeps  his  land  encompassed  by  wire 
during  the  entire  season !  I  have  known  some  of 
these  men  enjoy  unmerited  popularity  with  the 
Master,  and  even  take  charge  of  Hunt  wire  boards. 
Their  non-hunting  neighbours  who  take  down  wire 
and  over  whose  land  they  ride  with  safety,  are 
obviously  the  better  supporters  of  hunting,  although 
they  may  not  be  able  to  afford  a  nag,  even  if  they  had 
time  to  devote  to  the  sport.  The  farmer  who  takes 
down  his  wire  is  naturally  displeased  with  a  Hunt 
which  favours  an  individual  who  keeps  it  up  ;  but  I 
think  if  all  Hunt  secretaries  were  like  Colonel  Henry, 
such  delinquents  would  soon  be  brought  to  book,  for 
no  Master  would  care  to  see  with  his  hounds,  a 
farmer  who  kept  his  land  wired  during  the  hunting 
season.  Some  of  the  illustrations  of  wired  fences  in 
this  book  have  been  photographed  on  the  land  of  so- 
called  ''hunting  farmers."  An  even  worse  class  of 
man  than  the  double-dealing  farmer  is  the  wealthy 
landowner  who  preserves  his  coverts,  shoots  foxes,  lets 
his  shooting  at  a  big  profit,  and  then  goes  off  to  hunt 
in  some  fashionable  centre,  like  Melton  Mowbray. 
In  Leicestershire  he  would  be  regarded  as  a  hunting- 
man,  while  in  his  own  district  he  is  known  as  a  vulpicide, 
for  Reynard  is  seldom,  if  ever,  found  in  his  coverts.  One 
has  only  to  live  in  the  country,  and  pretend  indifference 
about  fox-hunting,  to  see  the  tricks  which  some  farmers 
perform  in  order  to  prevent  people  from  riding 
over   their  land.      I    remember  in  the  North  Cheshire 


PILOTS.  373 

country  a  big  covert,  which  was  always  considered 
a  certain  find,  being  drawn  blank,  much  to  the 
huntsman's  surprise.  As  he  called  off  his  hounds, 
after  a  thorough  investigation,  a  farmer  said,  with  a 
smile :   ''I  knew   they  wouldn't    find   a   fox    here,    for 

Mr. 's  foxhound  puppy,  which  he  is  walking,   has 

been  rummaging  about  this  covert  all  morning !  " 
It  appears  that  Mr.  Blank  was  a  farmer  whose  land 
adjoined  the  said  covert,  and  who  had  found  his  fox- 
hound puppy  more  useful  in  driving  away  foxes  than 
his  sheepdogs. 

Instead  of  doling  out  compensation  to  farmers  as  a 
form  of  charity,  it  would  be  much  better  for  our 
hunting  authorities  to  meet  them  on  a  level  footing, 
get  them  to  appoint  a  committee  of  their  own,  and 
pay  that  official  body,  every  year,  a  certain  proportion 
of  the  hunt  subscriptions,  to  be  applied  according  to 
the  wishes  of  the  Farmers'  Committee. 

PILOTS. 

I  have  not  enlarged  on  the  subject  of  hunting 
pilotage,  because,  truth  to  tell,  I  have  never  indulged 
in  the  luxury  of  a  pilot,  as  I  have  preferred  to 
know  the  capabilities  of  my  mount  and  to  see  and 
act  for  myself.  I  believe  that  any  woman  who  can 
ride  and  manage  her  horse  with  intelligent  forethought, 
has  no  more  need  of  a  paid  pilot  than  has  the  small 
boy  who  takes  his  chance  on  his  pony.  If  a  lady  has 
no  male  companion  to  remain  with  her  during  the  day's 
hunting,    she    should    provide    herself   with    a   groom, 


374  HUNTING. 

whose  services  will  be  very  useful  to  her,  in  the  event 
of  anything  going  wrong,  and  in  helping  her  in  various 
ways.  It  would  be  absurd  for  her  to  expect  casual  aid 
at  every  turn,  in  a  large  field  composed  chiefly  of 
strangers,  especially  when  its  giver  would  be  deprived 
of  his  place  in  a  run. 

Pilots  seem  to  be  going  out  of  fashion,  if  we  may 
judge  by  the  large  number  of  women  who  hunt  safely 
without  their  assistance.  The  inexperienced  huntress 
generally  has  her  father,  brother,  husband,  or  some  male 
friend  or  servant  to  show  her  the  way,  which  is  the 
safest  and  best  method  of  learning  to  hunt,  because 
they  would  know  both  the  capabilities  of  the  young- 
lady  and  her  mount,  and  could  be  trusted  to  keep 
her  out  of  harm's  way.  If  a  paid  pilot  is  engaged, 
his  horse  should  not  be  a  better  fencer  than  that 
of  his  charge.  He  should  also  know  her  riding 
form,  and  over  what  kind  of  jumps  she  intends  him 
to  lead  her. 

I  would  strongly  impress  on  an  inexperienced  lady 
the  necessity  of  learning  to  judge  pace,  that  is  to  say, 
to  know  at  what  speed  her  horse  is  going.  The  chief 
duty  of  a  pilot  is  to  set  the  pace  for  her,  and  to  select 
such  fences  as  he  knows  her  horse  is  capable  of 
jumping,  the  former  being  more  important  than  the 
latter,  as  it  is  far  more  difficult  to  learn.  She  should 
see  that  her  pilot  is  safely  over  a  fence  before  sending 
her  horse  at  it.  Only  practice  and  natural  aptitude 
can  teach  a  lady  to  judge  pace:  it  cannot  be  learnt 
from  any  book. 


PILOTS.  375 

A  lady  should  not  deceive  her  pilot,  any  more  than 
we  should  withhold  the  truth  from  our  doctor  or  lawyer. 
If  she  feels  more  in  skirting  trim  than  in  hard  hunting 
nerve,  she  should  not  hesitate  to  say  so  ;  for  we  all 
like  to  take  things  easy  at  times,  whether  it  be  in 
hunting  or  in  anything  else,  according  as  we  feel  fit 
or  otherwise.  There  is  no  gainsaying  that  the  human 
barometer  is  regulated  to  a  great  extent  by  the  weather, 
as  we  may  see  by  the  big  fields  which  greet  the  Master 
on  a  fine  hunting  morning. 

The  unpleasant  disclosures  which  have  been  recently 
made  in  our  Law  Courts,  concerning  the  free  and  easy 
conduct  of  a  certain  set  of  hunting  men  and  women, 
may  prejudice  many  mothers  against  hunting  as  a 
fitting  pastime  for  their  daughters  ;  but  the  indiscre- 
tions of  a  few  idle  fast  people  should  not  be  taken 
as  a  sample  of  the  behaviour  of  an  entire  field.  In 
the  crowd  and  bustle  of  hunting,  the  large  majority 
of  the  people  are  seriously  engaged  in  the  business  of 
the  day,  and  have  no  time  to  Indulge  in  flirtations. 
Certainly  no  sane  man  would  choose  a  meet  or  covert 
side,  where  he  is  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  people,  to 
do  his  love-making.  If  the  usual  discretion  is  observed 
In  the  choice  of  a  companion  for  a  young  lady  going  to 
and  returning  from  a  hunt,  she  would  have  far  less 
opportunity  for  "  frivol,"  than  in  any  ordinary  ball  room 
or  theatre.  We  need  only  watch  hunting  men  and 
women  passing  through  a  crowded  gateway,  to  see  that 
each  one  goes  in  turn,  and  that  there  is  very  little 
consideration  for  sex. 


376  HUNTING. 


FALLS. 

Although  the  subject  of  falling  is  not  a  pleasant  one 
to  discuss,  still  we  cannot  ignore  it,  for  even  the  best 
horsewoman  occasionally  gets  hurt  by  her  horse  falling 
with  her.  Accidents  sometimes  occur  over  the  most 
trivial  obstacles,  and  when  least  expected  ;  and  are 
not  confined  to  jumping,  for  some  of  the  worst  falls 
have  happened  on  the  flat.  I  remember  Captain 
King-King  breaking  three  ribs  and  a  collar-bone — a 
pretty  good  dose  in  one  gulp — by  his  mount  coming 
down  with  him  on  the  flat  when  hunting  in  Leicester- 
shire. The  late  Whyte  Melville  met  his  death  by  a 
similar  accident ;  and  poor  Archbishop  Wilberforce 
was  killed  while  quietly  hacking,  by  his  horse  putting 
his  foot  in  a  hole  and  throwing  him  on  his  head. 
Unfortunately,  we  are  unable  to  learn  the  art  of  falling 
correctly,  because  we  have  only  one  neck,  and,  if  we 
break  that,  our  experiments  must  abruptly  cease.  We 
may,  however,  minimise  the  clanger  of  its  fracture  by 
leaning  well  back  at  our  fences,  and  by  ducking  our 
chins  into  our  chests  when  we  feel  ourselves  coming 
the  inevitable  cropper.  The  worst  kind  of  fall  is  when 
a  horse  breasts  a  stiff  fence  and  either  turns  a  com- 
plete somersault,  or  falls  violently  on  to  his  head.  In 
the  former  case,  the  accident  generally  means  severe 
internal  injuries,  to  say  the  least  of  it  ;  in  the  latter,  a 
broken  collar-bone  or  concussion  of  the  brain.  Such 
bad  accidents  are  happily  rare  ;  for,  if  a  horse  can  jump, 


FALLS.  377 

he  will  certainly  do  his  best  to  clear  an  obstacle  with 
his  fore  legs,  and  If  he  catches  his  hind  ones  and  comes 
down,  our  chances  of  either  being  killed,  or  crippled  for 
life,  are  far  smaller.  In  Leicestershire  I  once  saw  a 
stranger  send  his  mount  at  a  posts  and  rails  fence 
about  five  feet  high,  which  the  animal  breasted  and 
went  over  with  a  sickening  fall  ;  but  I  could  not  help 
thinking  that  the  man  must  have  been  either  riding 
a  hireling,  or  must  have  imagined  that  his  horse  was  a 
wonderful  jumper  to  have  sent  him  at  such  a  for- 
bidding thing,  especially  as  it  had  been  avoided  by 
the  first  flight  people,  and  what  they  can't  jump, 
strangers  may  be  perfectly  certain  ought  to  be  left  alone. 
In  this  case,  the  animal,  which  may  have  been  easily 
able  to  take  the  jump,  went  at  it  unwillingly,  for 
he  saw  it  was  not  the  line  taken  by  other  horses,  and 
he  was  doubtless  annoyed  at  being  asked  to  incur  what 
must  have  appeared  to  him  an  unnecessary  risk.  A 
similar  thing  occurred  when  a  well-known  Leicestershire 
lady  broke  her  collar-bone.  Horses  were  filing  through 
the  gate,  and  the  lady,  who  was  anxious  to  get  forward, 
put  her  horse  at  a  stiff  posts  and  rails  by  the  side  of  it. 
He  apparently  regarded  the  act  as  unnecessary,  for  he 
went  at  it  in  a  half-hearted  fashion,  struck  the  fence, 
fell,  and  hurt  his  rider.  It  is  the  custom  to  say  that  the 
first  flight  people  who  ride  safely  over  Leicestershire 
are  mounted  on  the  best  horses  that  money  can  buy  ; 
but  at  the  same  time,  we  should  remember  that  they 
seldom  deceive  their  mounts  by  asking  them  to  jump 
anything  which    Is    either  impossible    or    unnecessary. 


o 


78  HUNTING. 


Mr.  Hedworth  Barclay,  who  Is  one  of  the  finest 
horsemen  in  Leicestershire,  always  rides  with  great 
judgment.  If  he  did  not,  he  would  not  have  been 
safely  carried  for  fourteen  seasons  by  his  brilliant 
hunter  Freeman,  and  for  an  almost  equally  long  time 
by  Lord  Arthur  and  Franciscan. 

A  great  deal  of  ignorant  nonsense  has  been  written 
about  people  (and  even  horses!)  taking  ''their  own 
line,"  but  such  scribes  ought  to  go  to  Leicestershire 
and  show  how  that  can  be  done  !  Ladies  who  try  to 
follow  the  teaching  of  such  people,  do  so  at  great 
personal  risk  ;  for  it  is  absurd  for  a  stranger,  however 
well  she  may  ride  or  be  mounted,  to  think  that  she  can 
safely  take  her  own  line  over  an  unknown  country,  and 
especially  such  a  one  as  Leicestershire,  which  is  in 
many  parts  entirely  unjumpable.  As  it  requires  several 
seasons  to  learn  the  "  lie  of  the  land,"  most  people 
wisely  prefer  to  hunt  in  a  county  they  know.  Some 
ladles  make  a  great  boast  of  their  numerous  falls. 
One  recently  told  me  that  she  had  had  fourteen 
croppers  In  a  hunting  season  ;  but  when  I  hear  such 
talk,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  there  is  something 
radically  wrong  with  their  riding,  for  our  best  horse- 
women very  seldom  fall. 

I  have  noticed  that  horses  have  been  staked  in 
hunting,  through  being  taken  sideways  instead  of 
straight,  at  their  fences.  It  is  most  dangerous  to  ride 
an  animal  in  this  manner  ;  because,  if  he  makes  a 
mistake  and  falls,  he  will  come  down  on  his  side  and 
may  roll  over  on  to  his  rider  in  his  efforts  to  regain 


FALLS.  379 

his  feet.  We  may  observe  that  when  a  horse  is  lyino- 
on  his  side  he  invariably  makes  a  preparatory  half  roll 
in  rising  from  that  position. 

The  first  thing  to  do  when  a  horse  comes  down,  is 
to  try  to  get  clear  as  soon  as  possible,  and  to  let  go  the 
reins,  unless  the  rider  can  retain  them  without  any  risk. 
She  is  so  encumbered  by  her  skirt,  even  if  it  is  only  an 
apron,  that  she  will  probably  get  kicked  or  trodden  on, 
if  she    hangs    on    to    the    reins.      "Scrutator"    wisely 
remarks  that  "so  long  as  there  is  a  chance  of  holding 
him  together,   the  pigskin    should  not  be   abandoned, 
but  when  that  chance  is  gone,  by  your  horse's  fore-legs 
getting  into  the  ditch  on  the  other  side,  throw  yourself 
clear  of  him  to  avoid  a  pommelling."      In  such  times  of 
difficulty  and  danger,  a  lady  should  remember  to  leave 
her    horse's    mouth  alone,   and  not  frighten  him,   at  a 
moment  when  her  life  may  depend  on  his  remaining 
quiet.      Whatever  happens,    she  should  never  utter  a 
startled  cry,  for  that  will  do  no  good  and  may  lead  to 
disastrous    results.      Professor    Sample,  the    American 
"  Horse   Tamer,"  once    found    himself    underneath    a 
cart,  while  breaking  a  horse  to  harness  with   the   long- 
reins.      Enveloped  as  he  was  in  his  driving  reins,  a  bad 
accident  might  have   resulted   If  he   had   not    kept   his 
presence  of  mind,    while  his   faithful    "Jo,"   whom   he 
called   to  his   assistance   as  if  nothing  had   happened, 
came  and   helped  him  out  of  his  dangerous  position. 
He  then  turned  to  the  audience   and   calmly  told  them 
that  he  was  showing  them  "  how  not  to  do  it !  "     When 
a  lady  gets    a    bad  fall  out  hunting,   and  we   see  her 


38o  HUNTING. 

attended  by  men   only,  we   should   at   once  go   to   her 
assistance,  whether  we  know  her  or  not ;  because  it  is 
always  better  for  a  woman  to  have  one  of  her  own  sex 
to  help  her  and,  if  necessary,  unloosen  any  garments 
which  are  matters  that  men  know  nothing  about. 


38i 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

RIDING   AND    HUNTING   ABROAD. 

I  NOW  turn  to  the  pleasant  subject  of  riding  and 
hunting  abroad,  with  special  reference  to  India,  where 
almost  all  our  fellow  countrymen  and  women  ride  and 
own  horses.  Even  in  lonely  up-country  stations  which 
contain  only  a  few  white  residents,  gymkhanas  are  often 
got  up  by  officers  who  train  and  ride  their  own  horses 
and  ponies.  Nothing  seems  to  give  these  good 
sportsmen  greater  pleasure  than  lending  their  equine 
favourites  to  their  lady  friends.  Therefore,  a  visitor 
who  is  fond  of  riding,  need  never  be  at  a  loss  for  a 
mount,  as  I  found  during  my  four  years'  residence  in 
that  hospitable  land.  I  can  truly  say  that  I  did  not 
understand  what  real  hospitality  is,  until  I  w^ent  to 
India,  and  shall  always  remember  the  great  kindnesses 
my  husband  and  I  received  from  Native  Princes.  For 
instance,  the  late  Maharajah  of  Vizianagram,  who  was 
devoted  to  horses,  invited  us  to  visit  him,  placed  a 
furnished  house,  servants,  horses,  carriages,  food,  wines 
and  every  other  comfort  at  our  disposal,  and  considered 
our  month's  stay  much  too  short.  Ladies  in  India  who 
ride,  obtain  so  much  practice  as  a  rule  on  various  kinds 


382  RIDING   AND    HUNTING   ABROAD. 

of  animals,  that  they  soon  become  expert  horsewomen. 
It  Is  the  custom  there  to  ride  twice  a  day  :   In  the  early 
morning    after    cJioti  Iiaziri   (little    breakfast),    which 
usually  consists  of  a  cup  of  tea,  a  boiled  ^gg,  bread 
and  butter ;  and  In  the  evening.      There  Is  no  law  of 
trespass  In  India,  and  It  Is  delightful  to  canter  for  miles 
while   sharing  the  freedom  of  the  Son  of  the  Desert 
who  Is  carrying  you.   There  Is  nothing  like  these  lonely 
scampers  as  a  cure  for  petty  worries,  for  you  can  put 
them  so  far  behind  you,  that  on  your  return  you  have 
forgotten  their  existence.      Calcutta  Is  an  Ideal  riding 
city,  with  Its  beautiful  niaidan  (plain),  where  there  are 
miles  of  springy  turf  for  galloping,  a  large  race-course 
with  well-kept  training  and  hacking  tracks,  and  hurdles 
for  those  who  desire  jumping  practice.      There  Is  also 
a  Red  Road,  which  Is  the  Rotten  Row  of  the  place,  for 
afternoon   hacking  among   the  beauty   and  fashion,  so 
what  more  could  the  heart  of  man  or  woman  desire  ? 
During  the  misnamed  "cold  weather,"  women  who  are 
fond  of  cross  country  work,  can  ride  once  a  week  over 
made  fences  In  the  paperchases.      The  course  Is  usually 
about    three    miles    long,    well    supplied    with    fences, 
chiefly  hurdles  and  stiff  mud  walls  from  three  feet  six 
to  four  feet  six  high.     As  the  start  takes  place  at  about 
seven  In  the  morning,  and  as  the  meets  are  some  dis- 
tance from  the  town,  the  devotees  of  sport  have  to  be 
up  at   about  five  o'clock,  dress  by  lamplight,  send  on 
their  chasers,  and  drive  or  hack  to  the  trysting  place. 
Two   "  hares "  carry  the    paper   In  bags   slung  across 
their  shoulders  and  receive  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  grace 


PAPERCHASING    IN    INDIA.  383 

in  which  to  plant  their  burden,  where  they  know  the 
coloured  slips  will  take  some  finding.      The  hares  ride 
over   the  fences,   and  by  distributing  their  landmarks 
sparsely  and  in  places  where  their  pursuers  can  follow 
only  in  single  file,  they  often  make  it  difficult  for  the 
leading  division  to  keep  the  line.      Those  who  over-run 
the    paper,   of   course    imperil    their    chance    of  being 
among  the  first  six,  which  is  the  number  of  "  placed 
horses "    in    these    paperchase    records.       A    writer    in 
Ladies  in  the  Field,  while  discussing  this  form  of  sport, 
says  :    "  Any  old  screw,   country-bred    pony  or  short- 
shouldered  Arab  may  be   brought  out  on  these  occa- 
sions."    That  author  evidently   had  no  experience  of 
Calcutta  paperchasing,   because  a  horse  for  this  work 
must  not  only  be  a  fast  galloper  and  clever  jumper,  but 
also  must  have  a  good  mouth  and  temper,  and  be  fit 
and  well.       In   fact,    the   ideal  paperchaser  is   a  cross 
between   a  steeplechaser   and  a  hunter,  for  he  has  to 
possess  the  speed  and  quick  jumping  qualities  of  the 
former,    and    the  amiability  and  brains   of   the    latter. 
Unless   a  lady   has   such   a  mount,    it  will    be   almost 
impossible  for  her  to  secure  a  coveted  place  among  the 
first  half  dozen.     Also,  there  are  so  many  horses,  say, 
forty  or  more,  all  galloping  at  the   same  fences,  which 
are  not  broad  enough  for  a  quarter  of  that  number  to 
take  abreast.     Consequently,  those  behind  have  to  see 
that  the  coast  is  clear,  before  they  can  proceed.      Falls 
frequently  occur,  but  serious  accidents  are  happily  rare. 
It    is    true    that  two   men   have  been  killed    in    these 
chases  ;  but  although  ladies  have  taken  part  in  them 


384  RIDING   AND    HUNTING   ABROAD. 

since  the  early  days  when  that  fine  horsewoman,  Mrs. 
''Jim  "  Cook,  set  the  example,  I  have  not  heard  of  any 
woman  getting  badly  hurt.  Mrs.  Cook,  who  was  known 
in  India  as  the  ''  Mem  Sahib,"  holds  the  record  of 
being  the  only  woman  who  has  won  the  Paperchase 
Cup  when  competing  against  men.  She  won  in  1881, 
was  the  only  lady  in  about  twenty  starters,  and  her 
mount  was  appropriately  named  Champion.  The  late 
Lord  William  Beresford  was  second,  and  General 
Cook,  her  husband,  was  third.  After  I  left  India,  Lord 
William  gave  a  cup  to  be  competed  for  by  ladies  only, 
which  must  have  acted  as  a  strong  stimulant  to  those 
who  had  vainly  tried  to  beat  the  "  mere  male."  Mrs. 
Murray  was  a  most  plucky  rider,  and  made  more  than 
one  good  bid  for  the  Paperchase  Cup,  which  she  w^ell 
deserved  to  w^in.  I  had  a  very  good  Australian  horse 
named  Terence,  by  Talk  of  the  Hills,  w^hich  got  placed 
in  these  chases,  but  when  I  hoped  to  do  great  things 
with  him,  I  got  typhoid  fever  and  exchanged  my  resi- 
dence to  the  General  Hospital.  The  fir-st  time  I  took 
Terence,  who  was  a  beautiful  jumper,  to  a  paperchase, 
two  horses  fell  in  front  of  him  at  the  first  jump.  A 
horse  ridden  by  that  good  sportswoman,  Mrs.  Saunders, 
refused  a  hurdle  in  front  of  us,  and  Terence  followed 
suit.  After  I  had  got  him  sailing  away  again,  a  horse 
ridden  by  Mr.  Garth,  a  well  known  horseman,  fell  over 
a  big  blind  ditch  just  in  front  of  Terence,  who  luckily 
cleared  the  lot.  Captain  Turner  was  walking  about 
minus  horse  and  hat,  and  that  famous  G.  R.,  Captain 
"Ding"   Macdougal,  had  a   nasty  purl.      In  fact,  that 


PAPERCHASIXG   IN    INDIA.  385 

chase  was  a  chapter  of  accidents.  Mr.  "  Tougal,"  who 
had  helped  to  lay  the  paper,  told  me  afterwards  that 
two  of  the  unbreakable  mud  walls  were  four  feet  three 
inches  high,  which  is  a  very  formidable  height,  con- 
sidering that  the  horses  had  to  jump  out  of  deep  mud. 
That  chase  took  place  on  2nd  January,  1890,  and  I 
think  it  was  a  far  higher  test  of  'cross  country  clever- 
ness, than  hunters  in  the  shires  have  to  go  through. 

Mr.  Clark,  who  lived  and  paperchased  for  several 
years  in  Calcutta,  and  who  was  a  large  horse  dealer  in 
Hilmorton,  near  Rugby,  tells  me  that  he  frequently 
measured  the  mud  walls  which  were  built  for  these 
chases,  and  often  found  them  full  five  feet  high.  The 
large  majority  of  horses  ridden  in  these  events  are  well 
bred  Australians,  which,  taking  them  all  round,  are  the 
best  jumpers  I  have  ever  seen.  Some  "  country- 
breds "  are  fine  fencers,  but  Arabs,  delightful  as  they 
are  for  hacking,  rarely  distinguish  themselves  across 
country. 

The  Calcutta  natives  were  always  on  the  look-out 
for  squalls,  like  the  Irish  "wreckers"  of  olden  days. 
It  was  no  uncommon  sight  to  see  a  black  man,  with 
nothing  on  but  a  kwnnierbtmd,  running  away  to  his 
lair,  with  a  stirrup  leather,  hat,  or  even  a  pair  of  spurs 
belonging  to  some  dethroned  sportsman.  The  horse 
ridden  by  Mrs.  Saunders  In  the  paperchase  I  have 
alluded  to,  was  a  powerful  "  Waler  "  which,  according 
to  his  importer,  Mr.  Macklln,  had  won  nearly  all  the 
jumping  prizes  in  Australia  !  He  had  evidently  been 
spoiled   at  the  competition  business,   like  many  other 

25 


386  RIDING   AND    HUNTING   ABROAD. 

horses,  for  despite  the  careful  handHng  of  his  mistress, 
he  was  useless  as  a  paperchaser.  We  had,  while  living 
at  Melton  Mowbray,  a  black  Irish  horse  which  also 
had  won  prizes  at  show  jumping,  but  he  was  a  most 
determined  refuser  in  the  open,  and  had  many  other 
tricks  of  temper,  so  we  soon  got  rid  of  him. 

On    off  days,  during  the   cold  weather  in  Calcutta, 
Mr.    Milton,   who   was    a  dealer    and    owner   of  large 

livery  stables,  used  to  invite  the  riding  community  to 

* 

hunt  jackals  with  his  "bobbery  pack.'  The  meet 
took  place  at  the  stables  before  daylight,  and  the 
"  hounds  "  were  carried  to  covert  in  a  sort  of  water- 
cart.  They  were  a  most  ferocious  lot,  to  judge  by  the 
scuffling,  squealing  and  snarling  that  took  place  en 
route.  When  they  were  let  out,  they  appeared  to  lose 
their  heads  ;  the  greyhounds,  whippets,  fox-terriers, 
bull-terriers,  pariahs  and  nondescripts  scampering  off 
in  various  directions  and  requiring  a  good  deal  of 
keeping  in  order.  Naturally,  the  greyhounds  and 
whippets  did  the  coursing,  and  having  sighted  a  jack, 
they  soon  put  an  end  to  him.  Our  huntsman's  chief 
anxiety,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  was  to  arrive  in  time  to 
secure  a  bit  of  the  prey  for  the  small  fry.  It  was  very 
interesting  to  watch  the  work  of  these  "hounds,"  and 
to  note  that  the  small  terriers  used  their  noses  to 
advantage,  and  often  put  their  speedier  companions  on 
the  right  track.  I  had  many  enjoyable  scampers  with 
Mr.  Milton's  bobbery  pack,  which  I  believe  is  still 
going  strong  in  the  City  of  Palaces. 

At    Lucknow,    paperchasing   was    nearly    allied    to 


FOXHOUNDS    LN    INDIA.  387 

steeplechasing,  for  the  course  was  flagged,  and  there 
was  no  paper  to  disturb  the  galloping.  Few  ladies 
took  part  in  those  functions,  but  I  enjoyed  my  gallop 
on  Mr.  McAndrew's  pony,  Suffolk  Punch,  which,  after 
floundering  a  bit  at  the  double,  came  down  at  the  last 
fence,  luckily  without  damaging  either  of  us.  The 
great  drawback  to  the  paperchasing  at  the  capital  of 
Oudh,  was  the  blinding  dust  which  was  raised  by  the 
leading  animals,  and  which  almost  obscured  the  fences 
In  front  of  their  followers.  As  I  was  only  on  a  pony, 
all  1  could  see  in  front  of  me  was  flitting  shadows  in  a 
brown  fog,  so  I  left  everything  to  my  game  little 
mount,  who  was  galloping  his  hardest.  For  the  same 
reason,  dust  thrown  up  by  the  leaders,  is  not  un- 
frequently  the  cause  of  accidents  at  steeplechasing  in 
India. 

Near  Bombay  and  Mozufferpore,  jackals  are  hunted 
during  the  cold  season  by  foxhounds  sent  out  from 
England.  In  1889,  Mr.  Rowland  Hudson,  Master  of 
the  Mozufferpore  pack,  had  seventeen  couple  of  fox- 
hounds, nine  of  which  w^ere  supplied  by  himself,  and 
eight  by  subscription.  These  hounds  were  selected 
by  the  late  Tom  Firr,  from  the  Quorn,  Cottesmore, 
and  Pytchley,  and  they  accounted  for  fifteen  brace  of 
jackals  from  November  to  March,  hunting  only  two 
days  a  week,  and  after  having  had  several  good  runs. 
Foxhounds  stand  the  heat  of  India  badly,  and  most 
of  them  out  there  die  of  liver  disease,  despite  the 
precaution  taken  of  sending  them  to  the  hills  during 
the  hot  months. 

25* 


-.88  RIDING   AND    HUNTING    ABROAD. 


0 


At  Singapore,  drag-hunting  provides  good  sport  in 
which  ladies  participate,  and  show  their  fine  horse- 
womanship  to  admiring  friends,  when  the  run  finishes 
over  the  fences  on  the  racecourse.  At  Shanghai  we 
can  go  paperchasing  on  China  (MongoHan)  ponies, 
which,  despite  their  want  of  pace  and  somewhat  three- 
cornered  appearance,  are  very  clever  over  bad  ground. 
The  ladies  whom  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  in 
Shanghai,  like  those  in  India,  were  all  devoted  to 
riding,  and  I  had  many  merry  scampers  across  country 
with  them.  In  the  country  round  Tientsin,  w^e  had 
often  to  jump  over  ponderous  coffins,  for  John  China- 
man has  a  provoking  way  of  omitting  to  bury  his 
relations,  after  he  has  stowed  them  away  in  their  long 
homes. 

Having  to  stay  for  a  month  at  Suez,  I  was  greatly 
disappointed  to  find  no  better  mounts  than  the  very 
knowing  Egyptian  donkeys.  As  I  had  never  ridden 
that  kind  of  animal  before,  I  sent  my  syce,  Motee,  to 
hire  a  couple  for  the  day.  To  my  surprise,  the  donkey 
owner  came  to  tell  me  that  I  could  not  ride  any  of  his 
animals  unless  he  accompanied  me  !  I  assured  him 
that  I  was  capable  of  managing  an  ass,  and  would  take 
every  care  of  the  beast  entrusted  to  me.  He  smiled, 
apparently  at  my  presumption,  and  as  I  saw  that  he 
would  not  let  me  have  my  way,  I  consented  to  the 
infliction  of  his  company.  xA.t  the  appointed  time  he 
appeared  on  foot,  leading  two  mokes  and  armed  with 
a  long  thick  stick.  As  he  was  evidently  going  to  walk, 
I  whispered  to  Motee  to  gallop  after  me  as  hard  as  he 


DONKEYS    IN    EGYPT.  389 

could,  and  give  the  stick  man  the  slip.  This  I  found 
far  easier  said  than  done,  because  my  donkey  utterly 
ignored  my  commands,  even  when  they  were  backed 
up  by  force,  and  w^ould  take  orders  only  from  his 
master.  I  saw  the  man  trying  to  conceal  a  smile,  as  I 
whacked  my  placid  mount  with  the  energy  of  one  who 
meant  business,  so  impatiently  asked  him  if  he  had  ful- 
filled the  promise  he  had  given  Motee  to  bring  me  his 
best  donkeys.  He  assured  me  that  I  was  sitting  on  the 
back  of  Mrs.  Langtry,  who  was  well  know^n  as  the 
fastest  animal  in  Suez,  and  by  far  the  handsomest. 
He  said  he  had  Mrs.  Cornwallis  West,  Ellen  Terry, 
Mary  Anderson,  Mrs.  Kendal,  and  other  good  mounts  ; 
but  Mrs.  Langtry  was  the  pick  of  the  basket  for  speed 
and  endurance.  I  asked  the  name  of  Motee's  moke, 
which  he  said  was  his  next  best  one,  and  found  that  it 
was  called  Mr.  Gladstone  !  The  pair  were  excellent 
friends,  and  insisted  on  walking  side  by  side,  although 
Motee  did  all  he  could  to  keep  Mr.  Gladstone  behind. 
Disliking  this  aspect  of  affairs,  I  dealt  Motee's  mount 
a  couple  of  sharp  cuts  with  my  whip  over  the  quarters, 
with  the  object  of  inducing  him  to  set  the  pace.  This 
resuked  in  such  high  kicking  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Glad- 
stone, that  Motee  nearly  fell  off,  and  the  man  behind 
ran  up  yelling  in  such  an  angry  tone,  that  I  almost 
feared  he  would  chastise  me  in  a  similar  manner.  He 
cooled  down  and  then  patronisingly  told  me  that  when 
I  had  grown  older  and  had  gained  more  experience 
in  riding,  I  would  not  be  guilty  of  cruelty  to  dumb 
animals.      Having   failed   in  my  tactics,  and  paid   for 


390  RIDING    AND    HUNTING   ABROAD. 

my  ride,  I  resigned  all  further  activity  In  the  proceed- 
ings, and  submitted  to  having  the  speed  of  my  mount 
regulated  by  the  stick  from  behind.  When  pursued, 
Mrs.  Langtry  would  go  off  with  a  rush,  pausing  at 
Intervals  to  listen  for  footsteps  behind,  and  assure 
herself  that  the  stick  man  was  well  out  of  reach. 
Once  she  relapsed  Into  a  dreamy  reverie,  and  so  far 
forgot  herself  as  to  allow  her  owner  to  wake  her  up 
with  a  tremendous  whack,  which  sent  her  flying  w^ith 
such  force  that  I  was  nearly  jerked  out  of  the  saddle. 
Our  destination  was  the  First  Castle,  and  I  was  glad 
to  turn  homewards.  Motee  did  not  appear  to  have 
enjoyed  his  share  of  the  joke,  for  he  looked  very 
angrily  at  the  donkey  man  as  he  removed  my  saddle, 
and  said  :  "  DIs  no  good  ponies,  Mem  Sahib,  plenty 
tamashay 

That  evening  when  I  was  recounting  my  adventures 
at  dinner.  Count  Carlo  Sanmlnlatelll,  who  was  staying 
at  the  same  hotel,  asked  me  in  French  If  I  was  fond  of 
riding.  On  hearing  my  reply,  he  at  once  placed  at  my 
disposal  nearly  three  hundred  remounts  which  were  to 
be  shipped  later  on  to  Massowah.  These  horses 
belonged  to  the  Italian  Government,  which  was  ex- 
pecting a  row  with  King  John  of  Abyssinia.  After 
that,  Motee  and  I  used  to  disappear  for  hours  In  the 
desert  every  day,  and  we  wended  our  way  back  to  the 
hotel,  only  when  the  pangs  of  hunger  forced  us  to  do 
so.  We  would  try  sometimes  as  many  as  fifteen 
animals  In  a  day,  and  I  took  the  numbers  of  those 
which  were  nice  to  ride.      In  a  very  short  time  I  had 


HUNTING    IN    SOUTH    AFRICA.  391 

a  list  of  more  than  a  dozen  of  the  nicest  horses,  which 
I  intended  to  keep  for  my  own  hacking.  As  most  of 
them  had  been  accustomed  to  the  barbarous  Mameluke 
bit,  which  is  used  in  Egypt,  they  took  very  kindly  to 
my  snaffle.  The  desert  is  a  grand  place  for  trying- 
experiments  with  horses  ;  for  in  it  there  is  nothing  to 
frighten  or  distract  their  attention  from  their  work, 
and  if  one  does  happen  to  get  a  spill,  the  falling  is  very 
soft.  As  soon  as  the  news  of  my  doings  became 
noised  abroad  in  Suez,  the  riding  men  mustered  in 
great  force  and  borrowed  several  of  the  horses  I  had 
passed  as  quiet.  It  was  amusing  to  see  some  of  the 
horsemen  sending  all  over  the  place  to  borrow  a  saddle, 
and  in  a  couple  of  days  we  all  met  for  a  ride.  One  of 
the  ladies  rode  very  well,  but  she  would  not  try  any  of 
the  remounts,  as  she  had  her  own  Arab.  There  was 
seldom  such  excitement  in  Suez  before,  the  lawn  tennis 
ground  became  quite  deserted,  and  everyone  seemed 
to  have  gone  riding  mad. 

Coursing  steinbok  with  greyhounds  used  to  be  a 
popular  sport  in  South  Africa,  but  when  my  husband 
and  I  were  in  Kimberley  in  1892,  Mr.  Fenn  was 
establishing  a  pack  of  foxhounds.  I  fear  the  Jame- 
son Raid  and  its  dire  results  have  sadly  disturbed  the 
harmony  of  that  sporting  community. 

I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the  Germans  are  more 
devoted  to  riding  than  any  other  Continental  nation. 
I  have  not  hunted  in  Germany,  as  I  was  there  only 
during  the  summer  ;  but  I  sold  a  good  hunter  to  a 
German  Count  who  was  a  fine  horseman  and  a  Master 


392  RIDING   AND   HUNTING   ABROAD. 

of  Foxhounds.  He  told  me  that  a  large  number  of 
ladies  hunted  with  his  pack.  I  was  particularly  struck 
with  the  Immense  size  and  beauty  of  the  riding 
schools  In  Berlin.  In  the  Berliner  Tattersall  there  are 
three  large  riding  schools,  and  I  seldom  went  there 
without  seelno-  some  ladies  on  horseback.  In  the 
largest  riding  school  there  Is  a  gallery,  a  refreshment 
room,  reading  room,  several  dressing  rooms,  a  band- 
stand, and  seating  accommodation  for  hundreds  of 
people.  The  proprietor  told  me  that  in  the  winter 
months  when  the  weather  is  too  bad  for  outside  riding, 
ladles  ride  In  the  schools,  and  various  entertainments 
are  given.  I  saw  a  large  number  of  ladies  riding  in 
the  Tiergarten,  although  It  was  out  of  the  season,  and 
I  expected  to  find  the  ride  as  empty  as  Rotten  Row  in 
the  winter  months.  As  I  went  there  before  eight  in 
the  morning,  our  German  cousins  must  be  early  risers. 
On  the  last  occasion  we  visited  the  Tiergarten,  we 
were  on  our  way  home  from  Russia,  and,  having  a 
couple  of  hours  to  wait  for  our  train,  we  strolled  into 
the  delightful  wooded  ride.  It  was  about  half-past 
seven  on  a  cold  March  morning,  and  almost  the  first 
people  I  saw  there  were  the  Kaiser  and  the  Kalserin, 
so  I  no  longer  marvelled  at  German  ladies'  taste  for 
early   rising. 

When  I  was  In  the  Bols  de  Boulogne  last  season,  it 
was  greatly  frequented  as  usual,  but  it  struck  me  that 
fewer  women  ride  there  now  than  formerly,  and  that 
motor  cars  have  absorbed  their  attention. 

Although  the  riding  schools  of  Paris  are  not  to  be 


RIDING    IN    RUSSIA.  393 

compared  to  those  of  Berlin,  the  worst  of  them  is  far 
superior  to  the  two  miserable  civilian  riding  schools  in 
St.  Petersburg,  where  riding  is  almost  entirely  a  mili- 
tary function.  Very  few  Russian  women  ride,  although 
history  tells  us  that  Peter  III.  kept  a  pack  of  hounds, 
and  that  his  wife,  Catherine  II.,  according  to  her 
memoirs,  listened  to  the  loving  solicitations  of  Soltikov 
while  they  were  riding  together  ''  to  find  the  dogs." 
A  saddle  belonging  to  this  amorous  lady,  which  I  saw 
at  the  Hermitage,  was  like  an  Australian  buck-jumping 
saddle,  with  large  knee  rolls  and  a  high  cantle.  It 
was  covered  with  red  velvet  and  decorated  with  cowrie 
shells.  The  side  saddle  appears  to  have  been  first 
used  in  Russia  by  the  daughters  of  the  Emperor  Paul. 
The  Duchess  of  Newcastle,  writing  in  Ladies  in  the 
Field,  on  "  the  untidy  slipshod  way  the  riders  are  often 
turned  out  "  in  Rotten  Row,  terms  this  state  of  thinos 
''a  disgrace  to  a  country  which  is  considered  to  have 
the  best  horses  and  riders  in  the  world,"  and  wonders 
what  foreigners  must  think  of  the  sorry  spectacle. 
This  ''  floppy  "  untidyness  of  riding  dress  appears  to 
have  been  introduced  by  the  ''  new  woman."  Twenty 
years  ago,  top  hats  and  perfectly  fitting  habits  were  de 
rigMeur ;  but  now  neither  horses  nor  riders  are  so  well 
trained  for  park  hacking  as  they  were  in  those  days. 
The  Duchess  also  points  out  that  it  is  as  cheap  to  be 
clean  as  dirty,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  the  horses 
should  not  be  groomed,  and  their  bits  burnished. 


394 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 
WALKING   FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

I  BELIEVE  I  am  correct  in  stating  that  no  woman 
who  has  ever  hunted,  professes  any  other  feeHng 
than  that  of  ardent  admiration  for  the  hounds  which 
provide  her  with  sport ;  but  I  would  like  to  see  this 
admiration  take,  among  hunting  women,  the  more  prac- 
tical form  of  walking  hunt  puppies,  in  whose  future 
well-being  they  should  have  a  keen  personal  interest. 
There  are  two  maiden  ladies  in  Ireland,  who,  although 
they  have  never  hunted,  and  are  long  past  the  age 
at  which  they  are  likely  to  do  so,  always,  from  sheer 
love  of  sport,  walk  a  couple  of  foxhound  puppies 
for  their  district  hunt.  We  want,  I  think,  more  of 
this  sporting  Irish  feeling  among  our  sex,  for  I  am 
sure  that  apart  from  all  other  considerations,  a 
hunting  woman  would  find  more  to  interest  her  in 
the  rearing  and  training  of  a  foxhound  puppy, 
whose  career  she  could  literally  follow,  than  in 
spending  money  and  time  in  clothing  and  nursing 
a  useless  pug  or  toy  terrier.  There  is  no  more 
intelligent    and     charming     companion    for    a    woman 


FARMERS    WALKING    PUPPIES.  395 

than  a  young  foxhound,  who  appears  to  be  able  to 
do  everything  but  speak,  and  even  that  he  can  do 
in  a  mute  way,  for  when  he  is  greatly  troubled,  he  cries 
like  a  human  being,  with  real  tears.  I  am  thinking  as 
I  write  of  a  young  Cottesmore  pup  I  was  walking  at 
Melton  Mowbray  who,  when  a  friend  accidentally  trod 
on  his  foot,  came  yelping  up  to  me  for  sympathy  with 
big  tears  rolling  down  his  face.  When  I  picked  up 
this  heavy  lump  of  dog  and  soothed  him,  he  at  once 
stopped  his  yelping  and  his  tears  like  a  child. 

Mr.  Otho  Paget  in  his  interesting  book,  Httnting, 
says,  "  The  whole  future  success  of  your  breeding 
hounds  rests  on  being  able  to  get  good  walks,"  and 
in  order  to  ensure  such  success,  he  advises  generosity 
in  the  matter  of  prize  giving  at  the  annual  puppy  show 
and  the  luncheon  on  that  occasion,  to  be  *'as  smart  and 
festive  as  you  can  make  it."  Mr.  Paget  considers  that 
the  ''ideal  home  for  a  puppy"  is  a  farmhouse;  but 
even  if  this  statement  were  correct — which  I  greatly 
doubt,  seeing  the  poverty  of  many  farmers  and 
the  neglected  state  of  their  own  domestic  animals — few 
farmers  walk  foxhound  puppies  even  in  classic 
Leicestershire.  When  a  large  landowner,  good 
sportsman  and  lover  of  hunting  like  the  late  Duke 
of  Rutland,  makes  an  agreement  with  his  tenant- 
farmers  to  walk  puppies,  the  work  is  certain  to  be 
carried  out  in  a  give  and  take  manner  which  will 
cement  good  feeling  between  both  parties,  and  will 
promote  sport  ;  but  the  practice  which  obtains  in 
some  badly  managed  hunts  of  sending   a  whipper-in 


396  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

to  dump  down  his  cartload  of  puppies  on  any  people 
who  will  consent  to  take  them,  is  not  only  akin  to 
cadging,  but  is  also  productive  of  many  cases  of 
neglect  which  ought  to  come  before  the  notice  of  the 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 
Instead  of  deputing  servants  to  dispose  of  young 
hounds  in  this  casual  manner,  the  Master  or  his 
Secretary  should  approach  the  residents  of  the  district, 
and  either  personally,  or  by  writing,  arrange  with  them 
to  walk  puppies,  so  that  they  may  be  prepared  to 
receive  their  young  charges.  Also,  the  Master  or 
Secretary  should  visit  the  puppies  at  walk  occasionally, 
as  such  practical  interest  taken  in  their  welfare,  would 
tend  to  encourage  the  walker  in  her  by  no  means  easy 
task  of  rearing  the  youngsters. 

Mr.  Otho  Paget's  advice  as  to  prize  giving  and 
a  sumptuous  lunch  hardly,  I  think,  meets  the  require- 
ments of  the  case.  We  can  dismiss  the  lunch,  as  very 
few  of  my  sex  care  for  "smart  and  festive"  feeding, 
and  as  far  as  the  prizes  go  for  their  trouble  and  expense 
with  the  animals,  what  is  the  use  of  judging  puppies 
six  months  after  they  have  returned  from  walk  ?  The 
poor,  neglected,  half-starved  animal  who  goes  back  to 
kennels  all  skin  and  bone  may,  if  he  be  a  well-shaped 
hound,  show  up  better  at  the  time  of  judging,  than 
those  who  were  returned  full  of  good  food  and  in  hard 
exercise,  but  who  may  have  lost  in  condition  by  fretting, 
or  by  having  to  live  on  shorter  rations  than  before. 
Some  puppies,  as  I  know  from  experience,  have 
either   died   during   the  six  months'  interval,   or  have 


HUNTING    PEOPLE.  397 

been  drafted  to  another  pack.  Therefore  it  would 
be  far  more  satisfactory  and  encouraging  to  puppy 
walkers  for  the  judging  to  be  on  a  day  fixed  for  them 
to  take  their  young  charges  to  the  kennels.  In  bygone 
days  when  country  squires  lived  on  their  land  and 
their  tenants  were  under  contract  to  walk  puppies,  the 
present  arrangement  no  doubt  answered  well  enough, 
because  it  was  to  the  tenant's  interest  to  do  his  best  to 
please  his  landlord;  but  times  have  changed  since  then. 
The  large  majority  of  people  who  hunt  nowadays,  rent 
hunting  boxes  for  the  season,  and  take  so  little  interest 
in  country  life  that  they  fly  off  to  town  on  the  first 
appearance  of  frost,  and  are  not  seen  again  until  the 
land  is  fit  to  be  ridden  over.  When  the  season  ends, 
they  disappear  till  the  following  one.  Few  of  them 
know  anv  of  the  resident  farmers  or  inhabitants  of 
hunting  centres  even  by  sight,  or  want  to  know  them. 
This  snobbish  exclusiveness  is  very  harmful  to  the 
interests  of  hunting,  because  the  farmers  are  under 
no  obligation  to  them — quite  the  reverse — and  a  farmer 
can,  if  he  likes,  refuse  to  allow  them  to  ride  over 
his  land.  Therefore,  when  hunting  people  show 
farmers  no  civility,  the  agriculturists  naturally  do 
not  care  to  go  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of 
walking  hunt  puppies,  as  several  farmers  have  told 
me,  unless  they  are  given  a  better  inducement  to 
do  so  than  present  arrangements  offer.  Then  again, 
in  judging  puppies  returned  from  walk,  supposing  the 
judging  takes  place  at  once,  as  it  should  do,  only 
the      condition      of      the     puppies,     and     not     their 


•-) 


98  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES 


"points"  should  be  taken  into  consideration  ;  for  the 
walker  usually  has  to  take  any  puppies  that  are 
given  to  him,  and  as  he  does  not  breed  them,  he 
cannot  be  held  responsible  for  any  defects  which  may 
be  in  their  make  and  shape.  The  hunt  puppy-show 
ought  to  be  a  function  entirely  apart  from  the  walkers' 
show,  and  until  this  is  done,  the  unfortunate  puppies 
will  continue  to  be  dumped  down  on  any  stranger  who 
will  consent  to  take  them. 

I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the  great  mortality 
which  takes  place  every  season  among  young  hounds, 
might  be  considerably  lessened  if  the  various  hunts 
were  to  send  out  with  the  puppies,  for  the  benefit  of 
inexperienced  walkers,  a  pamphlet  or  card  of  printed 
instructions  concerning  their  feeding  and  general 
management.  They  should  also  request  the  walker 
to  report  any  case  of  sickness,  and  should  at  once 
despatch  a  competent  veterinary  surgeon  to  investigate 
such  cases  and  prescribe  for  the  young  patients.  The 
inexperienced  puppy  walker,  in  her  anxiety  to  get  her 
charges  strong,  often  gorges  them  to  repletion  with  raw 
meat  even  before  they  have  got  any  permanent  teeth, 
which  is  as  absurd  as  feeding  an  infant  on  raw  steak. 
We  know  not  how  young  hounds  contract  distemper, 
but  they  cannot  be  prevented  in  their  daily  walks  from 
eating  offal,  and  if  the  germs  of  the  disease  are  taken 
into  their  bodies  in  this  way,  the  hound  whose 
system  has  been  weakened  by  "  heating  "  and  unsuitable 
food  will  seldom  recover.  I  do  not  wish  to  pose 
as  an  authority  on  this  subject  and   am  simply  giving, 


NURSING    PUPPIES.  399 

for  the  benefit  of  ladies  who  find  themselves  placed   In 
a  similar  predicament,  my  experience,  or  rather,  at  this 
stage,  inexperience,  in  walking  a  couple  of  Cottesmore 
pups.      I  tried   very   hard  to  save  those  pups,   nursed 
them  night  and  day,  and  had  them  in  my  room  at  night, 
but  both   died.     One   of  them  was  slowly  recovering, 
but  was  so  weak  that    he  could    hardly    stand,    and    I 
was  recommended  to  give  him  some  fresh  meat  cut  up 
small.     This  food  occasioned  a  relapse,  and   next   day 
he  was  dead.    I  notice  that  Mr.  Otho  Paget  in  his  book 
on  Htmting  recommends  ''a  little  raw  fresh  meat  "  for 
weakly  pups,  but  possibly  he  would  not  advocate  it  for 
one  getting  over  distemper.      I  attributed  the  death  of 
my  charges  solely  to  improper  feeding,  and  have  since 
been   successful  in  rearing  others  by  feeding  them   at 
first   on  bread   and    milk,    biscuits  and    gravy,    scraps 
of    cooked    vegetables,    and    when     meat    has     been 
given,  I  have  taken  care  to  see  that  it  has  been  cooked. 
Even  with  the  greatest  attention  to  diet  and  exercise, 
that   horror,    distemper,    has    attacked  them,  but  they 
have  made  a  good  recovery.      At  the  time  of  writing 
I  am  walking  a  couple  of   Pytchley  pups,  which   alas, 
will  soon  go  to  their  permanent  home.      Both   of  them 
have    had    distemper,    one    in    a    very    severe    form, 
accompanied  by  an    abscess  in  his  throat,  which  pre- 
vented him  from  swallowing  anything  but  beaten  eggs 
and  milk    for   several   days.      His   portrait  (Fig.    141) 
shows  that  he  has  now  "  grown   into  a    hound,"   and 
I   am   proud  of  him,  for   all  of  the  Pytchley  pups  of 
the  first,  or    spring  batch,  which  were   distributed  in 


400  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

this  village  died  of  distemper  with  the  exception  of 
my  couple.  My  pups  must  have  contracted  the 
disease  from  a  neighbouring  farmer's  dog  who  died 
of  it  in  great  agony  with  an  abscess  in  his  throat. 
Possibly  the  adoption  of  some  kind  of  muzzle  would 
prevent  puppies  from  eating  diseased  matter. 

My  belief  in  the  necessity  of  giving  hounds   cooked 
meat  and  rigorously  abjuring  it  in  a  raw  state,  excited 
ridicule  here,  but  when  the  good  result  of  such  "  faddy  " 
feeding  was    proved  by  the   healthy  condition  of  the 
animals,    the     unbelievers    acknowledged     themselves 
converted.      Mills,  in  his  Life  of  a  Foxhoimd,  tells  us 
that  Ringwood,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  fine  hound, 
was    brought    up    solely    on    "sweet    milk,    meal    and 
broth "  ;    but  I  find    that   pups  in  hard  exercise  want 
a  generous  supply  of  cooked  paunch  .as  well   as   bones 
for  the  development  of  their  teeth,  and  that  if  they  are 
blown  out  with  sloppy  food,  their  internal  arrangements 
become  disorganized.      Besides,  a  hound  cannot  gallop 
on  meal  alone.     One   of  the   greatest  difficulties   w^ith 
which  puppy  walkers  in  small  villages  have  to  contend, 
is  in  obtaining   an   adequate   supply  of   paunches  and 
bones,  for  country  butchers  do  not  kill  many  animals 
in  the  week,   as    there  is  little    sale    for    meat.      The 
average  villager  purchases  a  joint   for  his   ''Sunday's 
dinner,"    which    either    lasts    the    whole    week,    or    is 
supplemented  by  scraps  of  meat,  or  even  a  ''  bone  pie  "  ! 
An  ox  paunch  is  of  course  dressed  and  sold  as  tripe, 
all  sorts  of  pork  scraps  are  made  up  into  brawn,  mutton 
ditto  into  ''  faggots,"  so  that  there  is  very  little  left  for  the 


FEEDING    PUPPIES. 


401 


foxhound  puppies.  During  the  hot  summer  months  It 
Is  best  to  give  pups  very  Httle  cooked  meat,  but  plenty 
of  cooked  vegetables,  biscuit,  house  scraps  of  bread,  &c., 
and  in  cold  weather  the  first  meal  of  the  day  should, 


Fig.  141. — Pytchley  puppy,  Mottley. 

If  possible,  be  given  warm,  or  mixed  with  warm  milk, 
for  when  young  animals  are  cold  and  hungry,  It  is  a 
good  thing  to  warm  their  little  Insides.  All  meat 
should  be  given  cut  up.  When  feeding  hounds  on 
remains  of  fish,  care  should  be   taken   to  remove   large 

26 


402  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

bones,  which  are  very  apt  to  choke  them.  If  puppies 
are  shut  up  at  night  in  a  barn  or  loose  box,  their  abode 
should  be  cleaned  out  every  morning,  and  any  soiled 
straw  removed.  Attention  should  be  paid  to  the 
thawing  of  their  drinking  water  during  severe  weather. 
After  they  have  got  their  teeth  and  begin  to  snarl  over 
their  bones,  it  is  best  to  feed  them  in^  separate  tins, 
or  the  stronger  and  greedier  of  the  two  will  get  far 
more  than  his  fair  share,  even  if  he  allows  his  pal  to 
have  any  at  all.  I  have  found  ordinary  large  sized 
baking  tins  useful  for  feeding  purposes,  as  crockery  is 
liable  to  get  smashed.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a 
system  of  regular  feeding  morning  and  evening  ;  for 
puppies,  like  children,  thrive  better  on  regular  meals 
than  when  they  are  "picking  and  nipping  "  all  day. 
A  constant  supply  of  fresh  water  should  be  always 
at  hand  for  their  use. 

For  ladies  who  attend  personally  to  the  wants  of 
their  canine  friends,  Messrs.  D.  H.  Evans,  of  Oxford 
Street,  have  registered  a  kennel  coat,  which  I  think 
will  fill  a  want.  They  have  adopted  my  suggestions 
respecting  its  make  and  shape,  and  have  made  it  in 
mud-coloured  washing  material,  as  that  tint  looks  less 
unsightly  when  soiled  than  white,  which  is  worn  by 
kennel  huntsmen.  A  protection  of  this  kind  for  the 
dress  is  needed  in  tending  dogs,  and  I  have  found  it  a 
very  serviceable  garment.  Fig.  142  shows  the  front 
view  of  this  coat  ;  and  Fig.  143,  the  back  view. 

Another  point  to  remember  in  the  management  of 
puppies    is    never    to    wash    them.       I    believe    every 


WASHING   PUPPIES. 


403 


experienced  hound  man  will  bear  me  out  in  attributing 
many  tiresome  ailments  to  the  bath  tub.  Hounds  can 
be  kept   perfectly  clean   by  careful  brushing,  and   their 


P'ig.  142. — Front  view  of  Kennel  Coat. 

coats  will  show  a  gloss  and  polish  that  no  bathing  can 
give.  It  is  not  unusual  to  find  mange  in  pups  fresh 
from  kennel,  and  care  should  be  taken  that  the  brush  is 
not  used  on  the  affected  animal.      I   found  that  applica- 


26 


* 


404  WALKING   FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

tions  of  paraffin  and  salad  oil,  in  equal  parts  of  each, 
quickly  cured  mange,  and  that  the  hair  on  the  coat 
grew  thick  and  appeared  to  be  greatly  benefited  by  the 
lotion. 

Although  pills  are  supplied  by  some  hunts  to  be 
given  to  pups  who  are  off  their  feed,  it  is  no  easy 
task  for  a  woman,  or  even  man,  to  induce  an  animal  to 
swallow  one,  and  the  struggles  of  the  terrified  youngster 
who  objects  to  the  pill,  often  make  it  do  more  harm 
than  good.  That  safe  old  medicine,  castor  oil,  is 
generally  at  hand,  and  a  puppy  will  lap  a  spoonful  or 
two  in  milk  without  making  a  fuss.  My  experience  of 
dog  doctoring  has  been  practically  limited  to  castor  oil, 
except  during  distemper,  when  five  grains  of  quinine 
have  been  given  daily  with  beneficial  results.  The 
best  way  to  give  this  medicine  is  to  mix  it  with  a  small 
piece  of  butter  and  spread  this  ointment  on  a  piece  of 
cheese,  which  will  be  eagerly  gobbled  up,  as  all  hounds 
appear  to  like  cheese.  The  pups  should  have  plenty  of 
clean  dry  straw  for  their  bedding,  and  boards  are  far 
safer  and  more  comfortable  for  them  to  lie  on  than 
bricks,  which  are  always  more  or  less  cold  and  damp. 
Each  pup  selects  his  own  spot  for  his  bed,  which  he 
arranges  to  his  liking,  and  if  plenty  of  straw  be  given, 
he  will  burrow  under  it  in  very  cold  weather  and  thus 
keep  himself  warm.  There  is  certain  to  be  one  pup 
which  we  like  best,  but  no  favouritism  should  be  shown 
outwardly,  as  it  breeds  envy,  hatred  and  malice,  and  all 
bow-wows  are  afflicted  with  jealousy.  It  is  best  if 
possible  to  take  two  pups,  as  a  lone  hound  is  miserable 


PUPPIES    FIGHTING. 


405 


without  a  playmate,  and  if  he  has  no  one  to  play  with, 
he  will  be  almost  sure  to  get  into  mischief.  One  will 
want  to  boss  the  other,  but  they  can  generally  be 
left  to  settle  their  own   quarrels.      In  every  pack   there 


Fig.  I43-— jBack  view  of  Kennel  Coat. 

is  a  master  hound  who  rules  the  roost,  but  if  he 
degenerates  into  an  intolerable  bully,  he  may,  not 
improbably,  be  killed  and  eaten  by  the  others,  an 
occurrence  which  Mr.  Mills  tells  us  took  place  in  Mr. 
Conyer's  kennel  at  Copthall,  Essex. 


4o6  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

Next  to  feeding,  the  most  important  thing  in  puppy 
walking  is  exercise.  Foxhounds  have  to  know  how  to 
gallop,  and  therefore  the  young  hound  requires  training. 
It  is  both  cruel  and  useless  to  keep  a  healthy  pup  shut 
up  in  a  stable  or  yard  and  afford  him  no  opportunity  of 
learning  his  work.  As  soon  as  the  young  ones  settle 
down  in  their  new  home,  they  may  be  taken  out  for 
short  walks,  in  order  to  accustom  them  to  pass  traffic, 
and  if  possible  they  should  have  a  steady  old  dog  to 
lead  them  ;  for  even  the  placid  cow  coming  home  to  be 
milked,  will  prove  an  object  of  terror  to  them  and 
probably  cause  them  to  bolt  home.  With  the  exercise 
of  patience  and  kindness,  such  fearsome  journeys  will 
soon  be  made  with  safety,  and  moving  objects  will 
cease  to  be  regarded  ;  in  fact  a  bold  hound  will  be 
likely  to  prove  far  too  venturesome,  and  his  hair-breadth 
escapes  from  being  run  over  will  occasion  much  anxiety. 
After  the  pups  have  got  accustomed  to  getting  out  of 
the  way  of  fast  traffic,  it  is  excellent  training  for  them 
to  learn  to  follow  a  bicycle.  Fig.  144  ;  but  the  rider  must 
go  slowly  at  first  and  only  short  distances,  in  order 
not  to  overtax  the  strength  of  the  young  hounds.  A 
good  rule  is  to  slow  down  when  the  animals  lag  behind, 
and  if  they  show  any  signs  of  fatigue,  and  are  not 
stopping  merely  to  make  investigations,  it  is  time  to 
go  slowly  home.  They  will  soon  be  able  to  gallop 
as  fast  as  any  ordinary  rider  can  safely  steer  her  bicycle, 
and  will  sometimes  show  their  freshness  and  play,  by 
catching  hold  of  her  skirt  with  their  teeth,  as  once 
happened  to  me  and   gave   me  a  fall.      Foxhounds  are 


INTELLIGENCE    OF   PUPPIES. 


407 


however  so  Intelligent  that  the  animal  who  playfully 
caused  my  discomfiture,  looked  sorrowfully  at  me 
as  I  lay  sprawled  out  with  my  machine  on   the  ground, 


Fig.  144.  -Puppies  with  bicycle. 

and  I  feel  sure  that  when  I  reproached  him,  he  under- 
stood the  drift  of  my  remarks,  for  he  never  afterwards 
attempted  to  touch  my  .skirt,  though  he  has  often  come 


4o8  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

bumping  into  me,  when  flying  for  protection  from  some 
imaginary  enemy.  It  is  impossible  to  be  really  angry 
with  these  most  affectionate  irresponsible  beings,  for 
they  are  brimful  of  the  exuberance  of  youth,  and 
if  they  roll  over  each  other  in  the  middle  of  the 
road  just  under  the  front  wheel,  it  is  advisable  to  try 
and  get  out  of  the  way.  A  good  plan  when  this  road 
playing  begins  is  to  keep  the  break  going,  ready  for 
"happenings."  Riding  with  pups  is  excellent  practice 
in  bicycle  control !  From  bicycle  exercise  we  passed 
to  the  higher  stage  of  taking  out  the  pups  with  horses, 
but  I  regret  we  did  not  continue  the  bicycle  training, 
because  one  day  the  bolder  hound  of  the  two  (Fig.  145), 
who  had  several  narrow  escapes  by  reason  of  his  in- 
sane propensity  for  running  into  the  middle  of  the  road 
and  jumping  up  at  the  muzzle  of  an  advancing  horse, 
met  with  a  serious  accident,  to  wit,  a  fractured  fore  leg. 
I  was  not  present  when  it  occurred,  but  I  had  often 
ridden  out  with  this  hound,  whose  vagaries  in  the  matter 
of  jumping  up  at  my  horse's  muzzle  or  playfully  biting 
his  hocks,  frequently  necessitated  my  riding  at  a  walk. 
The  animals  who  were  ridden  with  these  hounds  were 
quiet,  insomuch  as  they  never  attempted  to  kick  them 
when  all  were  loose  in  a  paddock,  or  when  ridden  ;  but 
even  the  quietest  horse  in  the  world  is  apt  to  show 
annoyance  if  very  great  liberties  are  taken  with  his 
person  by  either  man  or  hound.  My  experience 
teaches  me  to  remember  this  fact  and  not  try  a  horse, 
who  is  not  a  huntsman's  mount,  too  highly  in  this 
respect.      The  more  sedate  pup   of  the  two  is  in  fine 


PLUCKY    PUPPIES. 


409 


condition,  because  he  takes  no  liberties  with  the  horses 
and  therefore  he  obtains  his  requisite  exercise  ;  but  if  I 
wanted  a  bold,  generous,  dashing  foxhound  who  can 
use    his    nose,    swim    a  river     or  perform    in    brilliant 


Fig.  145. — Pytchley  puppy,  Monarch. 

style  the  work  required  in  hunting,  I  should  unhesi- 
tatingly choose  the  bold  cripple,  who  I  hope  will  get 
his  leg  right,  for  he  would  certainly  perform  brilliantly 
in  any  hunt,  although  as  a  show  hound  he  would  be 
superseded  by  his  more  sulky  and  indolent  brother. 
As  the  first  requisites  in   a  foxhound  are  pluck  and 


4IO  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

confidence,  I  would,  in  selecting  a  couple  of  pups  from 
the  usual  cartload,  prefer  to  take  from  those  who  came 
and  faced  me  boldly,  as  if  Inquiring  my  business,  rather 
than  to  seek  for  ''show"  points  among  those  who 
require  to  be  dragged  from  the  back  of  the  cart  for 
inspection.  Many  people  are  debarred  from  walking 
foxhound  pups  from  the  tales  they  have  heard  about 
their  destructiveness,  but  these  yarns  are  grossly 
exaggerated,  for  the  youngsters  are  no  worse  than 
ordinary  puppies  in  their  desire  to  try  their  new  teeth 
on  sponges,  brushes,  boots  or  anything  else  they  can 
procure.  If  they  are  taught  from  the  first  that  such 
things  are  riot,  and  are  given  in  their  idle  moments  a 
bone  on  which  to  expend  their  energy,  they  will 
peacefully  occupy  themselves  with  it  for  hours,  and 
after  they  have  eaten  it  or  as  much  of  it  as  is  possible 
to  be  broken  off,  they  will  solemnly  proceed  to  inter  it 
for  resurrection  on  some  future  occasion. 

A  young  dog  who  has  had  his  necessary  exercise,  will 
prefer  to  sleep  than  to  get  into  mischief;  but  if  kept 
idle,  he  will  naturally  seek  some  means  of  working  of^ 
his  pent-up  energy.  It  is  as  cruel  to  punish  a  young 
animal  for  gnawing  and  biting  inanimate  objects,  as  it 
is  to  strike  a  teething  infant  who  is  similarly  prone  to 
use  his  teeth  on  anything  he  can  get  hold  of.  We 
generally  supply  such  a  child  with  a  bone  ring  or 
something  equally  safe  to  bite  ;  and  if  we  do  not  give 
a  puppy  a  bone,  he  will  quickly  find  something  for 
himself.  I  have  a  sheep-dog  pup  who,  having  gnawed 
and  buried  a  boot  in  the  paddock,  was  brought  to  me 


PUNISHING    PUPPIES.  411 

for  correction.  1  gave  him  a  ''good  talking  to"  and 
ordered  him  to  lie  down  near  me  under  the  table, 
where  I  believed  he  would  be  out  of  mischief.  I  went 
on  with  my  work  and  thought  he  was  asleep,  but  when 
I  bent  down  and  looked  at  him,  I  found  him  busy  at  a 
large  hole  he  was  biting  in  our  carpet !  It  was  all  my 
fault — he  ought  to  have  had  a  bone. 

We  now  com.e  to  the   important  question  of  corporal 
punishment,   which  I  have  deferred,  as  I  hate   it,  but   I 
know  that  it   is   a   necessary  evil.      Solomon's  warnino- 
about  sparing  the  rod  is  more  applicable,   I  think,   to 
foxhounds  than  to  children,  for   the   spoilt   hound  has 
before  him  a  fearful  day  of  reckoning  which  a  child  may 
escape.      Therefore  our  supposed  kindness  in  ignoring 
sins  of  omission  or  commission    is,    in   the   case  of  a 
young  hound,  a  cruel  wrong  which  will  assuredly  cause 
him  a  great  deal  of  suffering  that  timely  correction  on 
our  part   may   avert.      In  the  first  place   we  ought  to 
insist    on  implicit  obedience,   not   by  coaxing,   but    by 
the  whip,  for  if  a   hound  wilfully  disobeys   the   person 
whom  he  loves  as  his  mother,  how  much  less  will  he 
be  inclined  to  obey  the  orders  of  a  stranger  who  is  his 
whipper-in  ?     When  it  is  necessary  to  punish  a  glaring 
offence  concerning  which  the  lady  walker,  who  is  acting 
the  part  of  mentor,  has  given  an   unheeded  warning, 
the  offender  should  be  well  whipped  by  someone  told 
off  to  perform  this  operation,  and  when  they  fly  to  her 
for  sympathy,   she   should  remain    silent    as    one  who 
knows  they  have  been  justly  punished.      If  she  has  to 
undertake  these  salutary  thrashings  herself,  she   should 


412  WALKING    FOXHOUND    PUPPIES. 

call  the  hounds  to  her  in  a  tone  of  voice  which  she 
knows  they  can  hear,  and  if,  as  frequently  happens, 
they  hesitate  for  a  moment,  look  at  her  and  then 
decide  to  disobey  her  command,  she  should  follow  them 
up,  still  calling  on  them  to  come  to  her,  but  now  in  a 
severer  tone,  and  the  disobedient  ones  will  generally 
falter  and  take  refuge  in  any  available  place.  Then 
is  the  time  to  punish  them  with  a  few  sharp  cuts  of 
whip  or  cane.  There  will  be  no  howling,  as  the  pups 
know  very  well  that  they  have  transgressed,  and  will 
show  it  on  the  way  home  by  answ^ering  promptly 
when  they  are  called.  Pups  must  be  punished  only 
when  they  are  caught  in  the  act  of  disobedience ; 
but  a  sin  of  yesterday  must  never  be  punished 
to  -  day  ;  because  foxhounds,  like  all  dogs,  have  a 
keen  sense  of  justice,  and  only  understand  the 
meaning  of  punishment  when  it  is  timely  admin- 
istered. All  attempts  at  hunting  on  their  own 
account  should  be  rigorously  repressed,  and  the 
personal  dignity  of  the  house  cats  should  be 
upheld.  Even  when  the  hounds  are  accorded 
the  special  favour  of  entering  the  house,  our  pussies 
must  be  no  more  disturbed  by  them  than  they 
would  be  by  our  house  dogs  who  sleep  near  the 
fireside  with  them.  I  like  to  encourage  hounds 
to  visit  me  occasionally  in  the  house,  as  then  they 
are,  so  to  speak,  on  their  honour,  and  they  so  much 
appreciate  these  visits  that  they  lie  peacefully  near 
the  fire  with  the  cats  in  perfect  friendship,  after  having 
carefully  examined,    without    touching,    everything    In 


GOOD-BYE,   PUPPIES!  413 

the  room.  They  may  look  and  smell,  but  not 
touch,  and  as  bad  behaviour  in  this  respect  means 
instant  ejection,  they  soon  become  like  visitors  to  a 
museum.  The  worst  about  puppy  walking  is  that 
one  has  to  part  with  these  delightful  companions, 
and  that  parting  Is  a  time  of  sorrow  which  we  feel 
almost  as  keenly  as  if  they  were  our  children  leaving 
home  for  the  first  time  with  all  life's  troubles  before 
them. 


414 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

KINDNESS    TO  HORSES. 

A  GREAT  deal  has  been  said  and  written  about  bad- 
tempered  horses,  but  hardly  enough  anent  the  riders 
who  make  them  sulky  or  Irritable.  Jorrocks'  remark 
that  "  the  less  a  man  knows  about  an  'oss,  the 
more  he  expects  "  Is  perfectly  true  ;  for  such  persons 
seem  to  regard  horses  as  machines,  and  are  ever 
ready  to  slash  them  with  the  w^hlp  across  the  head,  or 
any  other  part  on  which  they  think  they  can  Inflict 
most  pain,  and  then  when  animals  resent  such  cruelty, 
they  dub  them  bad-tempered  brutes!  There  are 
people  belonging  to  the  show-off  brigade,  who 
punish  horses  without  the  slightest  provocation.  In 
order  to  attract  general  attention  to  their  fine  (?) 
horsemanship.  Their  method  Is  first  to  job  the 
animal  In  the  mouth,  and  w^hen  he  exhibits  the 
resulting  signs  of  Irritated  surprise,  to  ''  lamb  "  him 
well.  Another  kind  of  horse-spoiler  Is  the  man 
who,  having  been  angered  by  some  person,  vents 
his  pent-up  rage  on  his  unfortunate  mount.  Far 
be  It  from  me  to  call  down  the    wrath    of   the    lords 


CRUELTY   TO   ANIMALS.  415 

of   creation    on    my   thin    head    by    denouncing    them 

all  as  cruel    monsters,   but  my  experience  is    that,    in 

the    majority    of    cases,    horses    are    rendered    vicious 

by    brutal    treatment  on  the  part  of  men.       A    horse, 

like    a    dog,   has  a  keen    sense    of  justice  ;    he    never 

forgets    unmerited   punishment,   but    is   in    a  constant 

state    of   nervous    anxiety    when     ridden     by    a    man 

who  treats    him  unkindly.     A  dog  exhibits  a    similar 

feeling    of    distrust  of  a    cruel    master    by   crouching 

up    to    him    when    called,    instead  of    being    delighted 

to    see    him,    and    according    him   a    frisky    welcome. 

I  will    give    an    instance     of     what     I     once     saw    a 

bad-tempered    man    do  with  a   bird   in    India.       The 

animal   was  a  small  green  parrot  which  the   man  had 

taught   to   perform   a  certain  trick  ;  but    I  don't  know 

what  it    was,    because    the  parrot    did    not   execute    it 

when  asked  to  do  so.      The    owner  of    the    bird    was 

a  very  mild  private  individual,  who  I  thought  was  fond 

of  animals,  and  who  asked    me    to    see   the    effect    of 

his    training    on     this    parrot.      He    tried    to    get    the 

little    thing    to    perform,     but     as     it    would    not,    for 

some  cause  best  known   to  itself,    he    actually    wrung 

its    neck     in     my    presence !       I    shall     never     forget 

that  incident,  because  it   gave   me  one  of  the  greatest 

shocks  I  have  ever  experienced.     This  was,  of  course, 

an  exceptional  case  of  temper,  which   I    mention  only 

to   show  to  what    extremities  a  violent  burst  of   rage 

may    carry    a    sane    individual.       We     often     hear    of 

an   uncontrollable    temper,    but    I    believe    that    every 

man    can,    if   he    likes,    govern    his    rage,    unless,    of 


4i6  KINDNESS   TO    HORSES. 

course,  he  is  demented.  If  the  vast  majority  of 
so-called  vicious  horses  could  write  the  story  of 
their  lives,  what  terrible  tales  of  suffering  and  Injustice 
they  would  relate!  A  horse,  unlike  a  dog,  bears 
punishment  in  silence,  and  any  brutal  creature  may 
with  Impunity  torture  a  horse,  but  if  he  tried  to 
hurt  a  dog  in  like  degree,  the  yelping  of  the  animal 
would  alarm  the  entire  neighbourhood,  and  be  almost 
certain  to  call  forth  a  strong  remonstrance  from 
some  lover  of  animals  whose  sympathy  had  been 
excited  by  hearing  such  piteous  cries.  People  who 
are  unacquainted  with  the  Inner  life  of  stables,  have 
no  idea  of  the  brutality  which  many  grooms  and 
strappers  inflict  on  the  animals  in  their  charge. 
When  we  find  a  horse  which  is  difficult  to  bridle, 
owing  to  the  objection  he  has  to  allowing  his  muzzle 
or  ears  to  be  approached  by  the  hand  of  man,  we 
may  be  almost  certain  that  this  vice  has  been  caused 
by  the  application  of  a  twitch,  either  on  his  upper 
lip,  or  on  one  of  his  ears,  a  method  of  restraint  which 
should  never  be  employed.  By  laying  down  the  law 
on  this  point  of  horse  control,  I  in  no  way  pose  as 
an  authority,  but  rely  on  what  my  husband,  who 
is  a  veterinary  surgeon,  thinks  on  this  matter.  He 
tells  me  that  during  the  two  trips  which  he  made 
in  1 90 1  to  South  Africa  in  veterinary  charge  of 
remounts,  he  examined  the  mouths  of  over  seven 
hundred  horses  and  found  that  more  than  ten  per 
cent,  of  them  had  been  permanently  Injured,  especially 
on  the  tongue,  by  the  inhuman  application  of  twitches. 


THIRSTY   HORSES.  417 

No  one,  veterinary  surgeon  or  layman,  Is  justified 
in  using  a  twitch  that  will  make  the  animal  subse- 
quently difficult  to  handle.  If  any  of  my  readers 
wish  to  know  how  a  twitch  can  be  applied  without 
this  drawback,  they  should  consult  my  husband's 
book,  Illustrated  Horse  Breakiitg.  Of  all  horses,  a 
good  hunter  which  passes  into  the  hands  of  an 
incompetent  master,  is  most  to  be  pitied.  The 
wretched  condition  of  many  hunters  is  truly  pitiable. 
Their  skins,  instead  of  showing  the  glow^  of  health, 
present  a  dried-up,  kippered-herring  appearance,  and 
some  of  the  poor  things  have  the  miserable  half- 
starved  look  of  Berlin  cab  horses,  chiefly  because 
they  live  as  a  rule  In  a  constant  state  of  thirst, 
owing  to  the  objection  their  grooms  have  of  allowing 
them  a  sufficiency  of  water  to  drink.  Such  parched 
animals  will  quickly  tell  their  mistress  this  secret, 
by  loudly  neighing.  If,  when  she  goes  near  their 
boxes  or  stalls,  she  takes  up  and  rattles  a  stable 
bucket.      This  thirst  torture  Is  abominable  cruelty. 

In  this  country,  grooms,  as  a  rule,  are  given  a  free 
hand  in  the  feeding  and  management  of  horses, 
with  frequently  disastrous  results,  owing  to  the 
consequent  system  of  commissions  and  tips  from 
horse  dealers,  corn  dealers,  saddlers  and  shoeing  smiths. 
In  India  and  the  Colonies,  horse-owners  usually 
take  a  practical  Interest  In  the  welfare  of  their  equine 
servants,  which  are  therefore  properly  fed,  and  have  a 
plentiful  supply  of  fresh  water  to  drink.  Almost  all 
hunting   grooms  keep   horses  in  loose   boxes   tied   up 

27 


4i8  KINDNESS   TO    HORSES. 

during  the  day,  in  order  to  prevent  them  lying  down, 
soiling  themselves  and  disarranging  the  bedding, 
which  would,  of  course,  entail  trouble  on  the  stable 
attendants.  To  such  men,  the  good  effect  of  liberty 
on  legs  and  health  is,  of  course,  a  negligible 
quantity.  It  is  evident  that  the  benefit  of  a  loose 
box  is  nullified,  if  the  animal  in  it  is  tied  up. 
When  we  visit  horses  in  their  stable  and  find  that 
they  exhibit  terror  at  our  approach,  we  may  con- 
clude that  their  fear  is  due  to  bad  management, 
because  no  horse  which  has  been  kindly  treated,  will 
show  the  slightest  fear  on  being  approached.  A 
class  of  groom  whom  I  would  not  care  to  keep, 
is  the  funky  man  who  is  continually  yelling  at  his 
animals,  and  thus  unfits  them  to  obey  our  words 
.  of  command  when  we  ride  them.  Every  horse- 
owner,  even  from  a  purely  humane  point  of  view, 
should  spare  a  few  minutes  at  night  before  turn- 
ing in,  to  see  that  the  animals  have  got  plenty 
of  hay  and  are  not  parched  with  thirst.  I  would 
strongly  plead  for  our  dumb  friends  in  this  matter, 
because,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  I  have  found 
my  horses  shut  up  for  the  night  without  "  bite  or  sup," 
and  by  the  welcome  they  always  gave  me,  I  know 
they  were  most  grateful  to  me  for  my  nightly  visits, 
not  only  in  neighing  on  hearing  me  speak,  but  also 
in  dutifully  obeying  my  voice  when  I  rode  them.  If 
a  horse,  like  a  dog,  gets  to  know  that  his  mistress 
is  his  kindest  friend,  he  will  do  his  best  to  please 
her,  and  will  remain  steady  at  her  command  even  under 


JOBBING   THEIR    MOUTHS.  419 

very  great  provocation  to  ''  play  up."  Here  again 
Jorrocks'  advice  to  know  your  horse  comes  in,  for 
our  stable  friendship  with  our  animals  establishes  a 
bond  of  unity  which  they  will  always  remember  and 
appreciate.  Horses  are  very  sporting  animals,  and 
the  love  of  competition  is  inherent  in  them  all,  from 
the  hack  to  the  steeplechaser.  When  it  is  a  question 
of  a  gallop,  an  old  nag  will  put  his  best  foot  foremost 
and  try  to  outdistance  his  companion,  even  though 
his  chances  of  so  doing  may  be  extremely  small.  In 
hunting  and  racing  we  see  horses  gamely  struggling 
on,  often  under  severe  punishment.  To  my  mind, 
half  the  pleasure  of  w^itnessing  equine  competitions 
of  speed  and  staying  power  is  lost  by  the  brutality  of 
jockeys  who,  possibly  from  rage  and  disappointment 
at  losing  a  race,  often  unmercifully  punish  their 
animals  with  whip  and  spurs,  even  when  the  first  three 
horses  have  passed  the  winning  post. 

One  of  the  most  fruitful  causes  of  bad  mouths 
is  the  practice  which  many  servants  adopt  of  jerking 
the  reins,  when  a  horse  which  they  are  holding- 
becomes  restless,  even  when  the  inquietude  consists 
merely  in  looking  at  passing  objects.  Men  who 
adopt  this  barbarous  method  of  control,  never 
accompany  the  action  of  their  hand  with  the  voice, 
and,  consequently,  the  unfortunate  animal  does  not 
know  why  he  is  punished.  He  naturally  connects 
any  pressure  of  the  mouth-piece  on  the  bars  of  his 
mouth  with  the  idea  of  pain,  from  which  he  tries  to 
escape  by  throwing  up  his  head.      Hence,   instead  of 

27* 


420  KINDNESS    TO    HORSES. 

going  freely  up  to  his  bit,  and  thus  putting  himself 
in  touch  with  his  rider,  he  will  fight  against  it  and 
will  be  unpleasant,  if  not  dangerous,  to  ride. 

There  have  been  many  funny  books  written  about 
horsemanship  !       In    a   very    incompetent     book     on 
this    subject,    the    author    states  :     ''In     riding,    if   a 
horse  does  not  nag  himself  properly,  take  short  hold 
of   the    reins  with   your    left   hand,  lean    back   in    the 
saddle,   with  a  light  whip  or  stick  give   him  three  or 
four    strokes    right    and    left    down    his    shoulders,    at 
the  same  time  holding  the  reins  tight  so  that  he  does 
not  go  from  under  you  ;   he  will  soon  alter   his  pace. 
That    requires    practice,    with    nerve    and  judgment." 
I     think     that    a    person    who    would    be    guilty     of 
such  a    display    of    "  nerve    and  judgment "    deserves 
similar    punishment    with    the    whip.      It     is     in     the 
hands     of    such    men     that    horses    earn    the    reputa- 
tion   of   being    bad-tempered.     This    writer    also   tells 
us   ''  not   to    give  water    before  feeding,   as  it  weakens 
the    saliva    in    a    horse's    mouth  !  "       Whyte    Melville 
owed  his  success  in  horse  management  to   the  adop- 
tion   of   kind  and    humane    methods.      All  those    who 
have    broken     and    ridden    young    horses    know    how 
thoroughly    sound    is    his    advice  : — ''  From    the    day 
vou    slip    a    halter    over    his    ears    he    should    be    en- 
couraged   to    look    to    you,    like    a    child,    for    all    his 
little    wants  and   simple   pleasures.      He   should  come 
cantering  up  from  the  farthest  corner  in   the  paddock 
when  he  hears  your    voice,    should    ask    to    have    his 
nose  rubbed,  his  head   stroked,    his  neck   patted,  with 


WHYTE   MELVILLE.  421 

those  honest  pleading  looks  which  will  make  the 
confidence  of  a  dumb  creature  so  touching" ;  and  before 
a  roller  has  been  put  on  his  back,  or  a  snaffle  in  his 
mouth,  he  should  be  convinced  that  everything  you  do 
to  him  is  right,  and  that  it  is  impossible  for  yoti,  his 
best  friend,  to  cause  him  the  least  uneasiness  or  harm. 

"  I  once  owned  a  mare  that  would  push  her  nose 
into  my  pockets  in  search  of  bread  and  sugar,  would 
lick  my  face  and  hands  like  a  dog,  or  suffer  me  to 
cling  to  any  part  of  her  limbs  and  body  while  she 
stood  perfectly  motionless.  On  one  occasion,  when  I 
hung  up  in  the  stirrup  after  a  fall,  she  never  stirred  on 
rising,  till  by  a  succession  of  laborious  and  ludicrous 
efforts  I  could  swing  myself  back  into  the  saddle,  with 
my  foot  still  fast,  though  hounds  were  running- 
hard,  and  she  loved  hunting  dearly  in  her  heart.  As  a 
friend  remarked  at  the  time,  '  The  little  mare  seems 
very  fond  of  you,  or  there  might  have  been  a  bother ' ! 
Now  this  affection  was  but  the  result  of  petting,  sugar, 
kind  and  encouraging  words,  particularly  at  her  fences, 
and  a  rigid  abstinence  from  abuse  of  the  bridle  and 
the  spur." 

Many  animal  lovers,  especially  those  who  have  had 
no  personal  experience  in  studying  the  peculiarities 
of  our  dumb  servants,  consider  that  all  horses  behave 
well  if  kindly  treated.  This  belief  has  a  certain 
foundation  in  fact,  in  the  case  of  amiable  animals 
which  appreciate  good  usage.  There  are,  however, 
many  horses,  especially  among  the  half-bred  hackney 
class   of  riding   animal,   possessed   of  bitter    obstinacy 


422  KINDNESS    TO    HORSES. 

which  no  amount  of  kindness  on  our  part  can  subdue. 
Some  of  these  animals  allow  us  to  get  on  their  backs 
and  carry  us  quietly,  so  long  as  we  permit  them  to 
proceed  at  their  desired  pace ;  but  as  soon  as  we 
attempt  to  assert  ourselves  in  this  matter,  they  dis- 
play their  sullen  tempers  in  various  ways,  either  by 
plunging,  pulling,  or  setting  up  other  defences  against 
our  authority.  If  we  insist  on  our  orders  being- 
obeyed,  they  show  fight,  or  more  usually  a  sullen 
nagging  resistance  that  continues  the  whole  time  we 
remain  on  their  backs,  and  they  carry  out  the  same 
programme  every  time  we  ride  them.  With  such 
nasty  tempered  brutes,  breaking  is  of  no  avail,  for 
they  are  quiet  as  long  as  we  allow  them  to  set  the 
pace  and  carry  us  as  they  like.  A  breaker  who  is 
a  good  horseman  and  possessed  of  extreme  tact  and 
patience,  which  of  course  is  necessary,  may  continue 
the  fight  longer  than  an  ordinary  rider  cares  to  do, 
but  he  can  produce  no  permanent  result,  for  he  is 
unable  to  give  the  animal  a  new  heart.  Therefore, 
when  we  consider  the  important  question  of  manners 
in  a  horse,  we  should  first  learn  all  we  can  about  the 
disposition  and  temper  of  the  animal  both  in  and  out 
of  the  stable.  Given  a  sound  foundation  to  work 
upon,  that  is  to  say,  a  placid  generous  tempered  horse, 
we  may  confidently  set  to  work  in  polishing  up  his 
manners  as  may  be  required,  but  with  the  sullen 
brutes  I  have  described,  it  is  a  useless  task.  We 
find  much  the  same  thing  in  some  human  beings. 
George  Moore,  in  his  novel,  Esther  Waters,  graphic- 


BUYING    HORSES.  423 

ally  depicts  the  sullen  obstinacy  of  a  low  class  of 
person  who  will  ''neither  lead  nor  drive."  I  think 
that  this  dogged  obstinacy  of  temper  is  rarely  met 
with  among  thoroughbred,  or  even  well-bred  horses, 
for  I  have  found  it  to  exist  in  its  worst  form  only 
among  half-breds,  and  especially  among  those  which 
have  hackney  blood  in  their  veins.  As  a  rule,  a  bad- 
tempered  thoroughbred  does  not  sulk,  he  fights  openly, 
says  his  say,  like  an  irritated  master  or  mistress,  and, 
having  relieved  his  mind,  lets  the  matter  drop,  and 
does  not  nurture  it  up  for  future  use,  like  the  servants 
in  the  kitchen.  My  advice  to  any  lady  who  is  trying 
to  win  the  regard  of  a  sullen  brute  of  this  class,  would 
be  to  give  up  the  task  as  hopeless,  get  rid  of  him, 
and  expend  her  kindness  on  an  animal  more  worthy 
of  it.  No  horse  that  will  not  ''  chum  "  with  you,  by 
ready  obedience  without  asserting  himself  at  every 
step  he  takes,  is  worth  his  keep,  and  it  is  no  pleasure 
to  either  man  or  woman  to  ride  such  animals,  however 
excellent  both  the  rider's  temper  and  horsemanship 
may  be. 

I  would  recommend  any  lady  who  is  about  to 
purchase  a  horse,  to  do  her  best  to  find  out,  not  only 
if  the  animal  is  quiet,  but  if  his  former  owner  was  also 
amiable,  and  on  no  account  to  buy  a  horse  which 
has  been  spoiled  by  a  bad-tempered  man,  or  woman, 
supposing  that  any  of  my  sex  is  sour-tempered,  which 
I  very  much  doubt,  unless,  of  course,  she  had  been 
spoiled  by  a  vicious  male  !  We  should  bear  in  mind 
that    absolute    perfection,    either   among  humans    or 


424  KINDNESS    TO    HORSKS. 

equines,  is  unattainable,  and,  as  Jorrocks  points  out : 
''  If  his  'oss  is  not  so  good  as  he  might  be,  let  him  cherish 
the  reflection  that  he  might  have  been  far  worse  !  " 

I  think  that  the  native  syces  of  India,  like  the 
Russian  ishvoshik  (cabman),  treat  their  equine 
charges  with  far  greater  sympathy  and  kindness  than 
our  English  grooms  and  cab-drivers  do.  In  India  we 
ride  stallions  ;  my  grey  Arab,  Fig.  7,  was  an  entire, 
and  was  so  kind  and  gentle  that  he  was  always  most 
careful  not  to  tread  on  his  syce  who  slept  in  his  box 
with  him,  rolled  up  in  a  corner,  like  a  bundle  of  old 
clothes.  When  Gowlasher,  which  was  the  man's 
name,  groomed  him,  the  pony  would  playfully  catch 
his  arm  between  his  teeth  and  make  a  pretence  of 
bitino-  it,  but  he  never  allowed  his  teeth  to  hurt  the 
skin.  Gowlasher  liked  to  show  me  the  funny  little 
tricks  of  this  animal ;  but  if  Freddie  had  attempted 
to  touch  the  arm  of  an  English  groom,  he  would  have 
been  promptly  struck  across  the  muzzle,  because  his 
playfulness  would  have  been  misunderstood. 

It  is  not  the  custom  in  this  country  to  hunt  or  hack 
stallions,  which  are  often  led  out  for  exercise  with  two 
men  hanging  on  to  their  heads,  both  armed  with  stout 
sticks.  Magic,  a  grey  Arab  entire,  which  we  brought 
home  from  India  and  sold  to  Colonel  Walker,  of 
Gateacre,  who  won  several  pony  races  with  him, 
carried  me  quietly  in  the  Row,  and  his  new  owner 
found  him  a  very  clever  polo  pony.  When  passing 
through  London  on  my  return  from  a  visit  to  Russia, 
we  put  up    at  an    hotel  in  Oxford  Street,   where  the 


RUSSIAN    HORSES.  425 

night  was  rendered  hideous  to  me  by  the  brutal  slash- 
ing of  cab  horses  ;  for  one  hears  nothing  of  that  kind 
in  Russia,  and  yet  we  English   people   pride  ourselves 
on  being  a  horse-loving  nation !     The  speed  of  Orlov 
trotters  is  very  great,  but  no  whip  is  used  in  driving 
them  ;   the  coachmen  drive  with  a  rein  in   each  hand, 
like  the  drivers  of  American  trotters,  and  shout  after 
the    manner    of   firemen   to    clear  the   road,   for   these 
animals  seem  to  require  a  good  deal  of  holding.      The 
Russian  cabby  uses  a  small  whip  like  an  ordinary  dog- 
whip,  which  he  tucks  away  somewhere  under  his  seat, 
and   when   his  horse   is  taking   things  too   easy,    it    is 
only  necessary  for  him  to  show  it  him,  for  he  is  driven 
without  blinkers,   to  cause  him  to  at  once  hasten  his 
pace.      Very  often   the   man  is   unprovided  even  with 
this    toy    thing,    in    which    case    he    obtains    a    similar 
result  by  abusing  the  animal's  relations  !     During  the 
whole  time  that  I  was  in    Russia,  I   never  once  saw  a 
cabby  hurt  his  horse  with   the   whip.       Russia  is  the 
last  country  to  which  one  would  go  to   learn  anything 
about  the  treatment  of  human  beings,   knowing  what 
we  do  of  her  past  and  present  history  ;   but  we  cer- 
tainly should   emulate  the  Russian  coachmen  in  their 
kindness  to  horses,  and  not   shock  our  neighbours  by 
exhibitions    of  brutality  which   may    be  seen  daily    in 
the  London  streets. 


426 


CHAPTER   XX. 
CROSS-SADDLE    RIDING    FOR    LADIES. 

The  question  periodically  arises  as  to  whether  women 
should  adopt  men's  saddles  in  preference  to  their  own. 
I  have  studied  the  art  of  riding  astride  in  an  ordinary 
man's  saddle,  and  would  give  a  negative  answer  to 
that  query.  The  fact  that  by  the  adoption  of  the  cross 
saddle,  about  seven  pounds  in  weight  would  be  saved, 
and  the  work  for  the  horse  would  be  somewhat  easier, 
ought  not  to  outweigh  the  enormous  disadvantages  on 
the  other  side.  Whenever  a  lady  is  dragged  by  skirt  or 
stirrup  and  killed — an  accident  which,  happily,  occurs 
but  rarely  nowadays,  for  we  wisely  adopt  the  best 
safety  appliances  to  prevent  it — up  crops  that  ever- 
green question  of  cross-saddle  riding,  as  if  men  never 
come  to  grief!  Statistics  would,  I  think,  show  that, 
considering  the  large  number  of  women  who  hunt,  the 
proportion  of  fatal  accidents  to  them  in  the  hunting 
field  is  extremely  small  as  compared  with  the  male 
record.  Then,  again,  the  question  of  sore  backs  from 
side-saddles  may  be  urged  ;  but  with  a  well-fitting 
saddle    which    is    properly    girthed    up,     this    trouble 


TRYING   TO    STICK    ON.  427 

can  be  averted.  Besides,  sore  backs  are  not  con- 
fined to  side  saddles,  for  every  hunting  man,  at  some 
period  or  other,  has  had  a  sore-backed  horse  in  his 
stable.  My  argument  against  the  adoption  of  men's 
saddles  is,  in  the  first  place,  that  such  saddles  afford  us 
far  less  security  of  seat  than  we  obtain  in  our  own  ; 
for  I  do  not  think  that  men  could  ride,  as  we  can,  over 
fences  without  the  aid  of  the  reins.  This  statement 
is  borne  out,  not  only  by  the  attempts  which  many 
good  horsemen  have  made  to  do  so,  while  my  husband 
drove  animals  over  obstacles  with  the  long  reins,  but 
also  by  the  fact  that  all  men  like  a  horse  that  goes  well 
up  to  the  bridle  for  cross-country  work.  Then,  again, 
a  woman's  limbs  are  unsulted  to  cross-saddle  riding, 
which  requires  length  from  hip  to  knee,  fiat  muscles, 
and  a  slight  inclination  to  "  bow  legs."  I  practised 
my  cross  -  saddle  riding  in  a  school  well  supplied 
with  large  mirrors  in  which  I  could  see  my  figure 
as  I  passed.  It  was  anything  but  graceful,  for  the 
rotundity,  which  even  in  some  men  Is  very  ugly  on 
horseback,  was  far  too  much  en  evidence,  and  caused 
an  outburst  of  laughter  from  the  ladies  who  were 
watching  my  performance.  I  at  first  found  It  rather 
difficult  to  preserve  my  balance  well  In  cantering  on  a 
circle,  but  that  came  to  me  far  more  quickly  than 
ability  to  ride  properly  over  a  fence  in  a  plain  fiapped 
saddle,  such  as  I  presume  ladles  would  want  to  use  If 
they  adopted  that  style  of  riding.  The  directions 
given  me  were  to  lean  back  and  grip  with  my  knees  ; 
but,    as   in  side-saddle    riding,    I    left   the   reins   quite 


428       CROSS-SADDLE    RIDING    FOR   LADIES. 

loose,  instead  of  hanging  on  to  them  as  most  men  do, 
I  lost  the  aid  which  they  might  have  afforded  me  in  my 
efforts  to  stick  on.  Besides,  my  grip  was  all  wrong, 
and  seemed  to  be  obtainable  only  at  the  thigh,  which, 
my  husband  tells  me,  ought,  for  riding  purposes,  to  be 
flat  and  not  round.  My  experience  of  this  kind  of 
riding  appears  to  have  been  borne  out  by  another  lady 
who  tried  it,  for  "  Rapier,"  in  the  Sportmg  and 
Dramatic  Neivs,  Nov.  26th,  1892,  says:  "A  few 
weeks  ago  my  correspondent  '  Ion,'  who  is,  I  believe, 
an  excellent  horsewoman,  told  me  how  she  made  an 
essay  at  riding  on  a  man's  saddle,  with  the  result  that 
she  had  a  very  bad  fall."  I  believe  both  of  us  would 
have  done  better  if  we  had  had  no  previous  experience 
of  riding,  and  had  acquired  the  art  of  hanging  on  to 
the  reins.  A  lady  who  is  well  known  with  the  Devon 
and  Somerset  Staghounds  asked  my  husband's  advice 
about  a  suitable  saddle,  as  she  desired  to  ride  astride, 
and  he  helped  her  to  procure  one  with  large  knee  pads, 
made  on  the  principle  of  Australian  buck-jumping 
saddles,  which  appears  to  have  answered  her  purpose 
very  well  ;  but  I  do  not  know  how  she  would  get  on  in 
Leicestershire.  Mrs.  Tweedie  rode  astride  in  a  Mexican 
saddle,  which,  like  those  used  by  natives  in  India,  are 
something  after  the  pattern  of  an  easy-chair.  William 
Stokes,  in  an  old  work  on  riding  which  was  published 
at  Oxford,  tells  us  that  in  Mexico  '' xh^  pisana,  or 
country  lady,  is  often  seen  mounted  before  her 
cavaliero,  who,  seated  behind  his  fair  one,  supports  her 
with  his  arm  thrown  round  her  waist."    This  was  much 


ORIENTAL   WOMEN.  429 

more  gallant  than  the  old  English  method,  for  the  lady, 
after  being  seated  sideways  on  the  horse's  croup,  had 
to  run  the  risk  of  being  knocked  off  by  her  cavalier, 
who  vaulted  into  the  saddle  in  front  of  her.  The  plate 
illustrating  this  nice  performance  shows  that  the  man 
had  to  stand  with  his  left  leg  in  the  stirrup  and  put  his 
weight  on  the  saddle  with  his  hands,  while  he  raised  his 
right  leg  over  the  lady's  head.  Having  lived  in  the 
East,  I  am  aware  that  Oriental  women  ride  astride,  but 
I  have  not  seen  any  of  them  voluntarily  go  out  of  a 
w^alk.  It  is  not  difficult  to  trot  and  canter  in  a  man's 
plain  hunting  saddle,  but  I  think  our  conformation 
requires  the  assistance  of  knee  rolls  for  jumping.  We 
may  see  even  fair  horsemen  throwm  by  a  horse  suddenly 
stopping  dead  at  a  fence,  an  accident  that  rarely  occurs 
to  a  woman  in  a  side  saddle,  as  the  grip  afforded  by  her 
crutches  gives  her  greater  security  of  seat. 

A  large  number  of  men's  saddles  have  recently  been 
purchased  in  London  for  the  use  of  American  ladies 
who  desire  to  adopt  cross-saddle  riding.  They  intend 
wearing  frock  coats  and  breeches  made  exactly  like 
men's  hunting  breeches,  and  top  boots  ;  but  as  the 
frock  coats  are  tight-fitting  and  follow  the  contour  of 
the  figure,  I  do  not  think  that  the  costume  will  enhance 
the  elegance  of  the  wearer.  In  the  Tiergarten  at 
Berlin  I  saw  a  German  lady  riding  astride  in  a  kind  of 
divided  skirt,  and  as  she  was  rather  portly,  her  palfrey 
appeared  to  be  fully  caparisoned.  If  the  cross-saddle 
were  to  be  generally  adopted  by  women,  it  would  be 
but  a  revival  of  an  ancient  custom  which  was  in  use 


430       CROSS-SADDLE    RIDING    FOR   LADIES. 

before  the  side-saddle  with  a  leaping  head  rendered  it 
possible  for  women  to  ride  across  country.  According 
to  Audry,  English  ladies  discarded  cross-saddle  riding, 
and  began  to  ride  with  the  right  leg  over  the  crutch, 
about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  which 
style  the  Countess  of  Newcastle  is  said  to  have  been 
the  first  to  adopt.  In  the  Encyclopaedia  Londinensis 
we  read  that  Oueen  Elizabeth  ''seems  to  have  been 
the  first  who  set  the  ladies  the  more  modest  fashion  of 
riding  sideways,"  but  I  think  the  honour  of  its  intro- 
duction is  due  to  Ann  of  Bohemia,  the  consort  of 
Richard  the  Second.  Garsault  tells  us  that  during  the 
fourteenth,  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  ladies  of 
the  PVench  Court  usually  rode  astride  on  donkeys. 
Whatever  may  be  said  in  favour  of  cross-saddle  riding, 
we  must  bear  in  mind  that  it  was  not  until  the  introduc 
tion  in  1830  of  the  leaping  head  that  women  were  able 
to  ride  over  fences,  and  it  would  be  a  most  reactionary 
measure  to  try  to  dispense  with  this  valuable  improve 
ment  on  the  ancient  and  incompetent  order  of  things. 


431 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

RIDING  DIFFICULT  HORSES. 

General  Remarks — Shying — Stumbling — Dancing  and  Prancing — Throwing  up  the 
Head  —  Habit-shy  —  Jibbing — Shouldering  —  Backing —  Pulling — Refusing 
— Boring — Kicking — Buck-jumping — Rearing. 

GENERAL    REMARKS. 

As  ladles  are  not  supposed  to  have  to  ride  "  difficult  " 
horses,  a  chapter  on  the  best  means  of  managing  such 
animals  may  appear  superfluous  ;  but  even  the  steadiest 
animal  is  apt  to  go  wrong  at  times,  and  as  forewarned 
is  forearmed,  it  is  best  for  us  to  know  how  to  act  in 
cases  of  emergency.     I  do  not  think  that  there  exists 
in  this  world  an  absolutely  perfect  horse,   or  faultless 
human  being  for  that  matter,  although  many  members 
of  both  the  human  and  equine  race  nearly  approach 
the  ideal  standard,  especially  among  our  own  gentle 
sex.     A  woman  who  rides  a  great  variety  of  horses 
finds  that  each  of  her  mounts  has  his  or  her  special 
peculiarity    of   temper,   which    often   sorely  taxes   her 
supply  of  patience  and  tact  in  keeping  it  under  control. 
All    horses,    even    the    quietest,    try    to    show    their 
authority   when   ridden  by  a  stranger,   and  still  more 


432  RIDING   DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

so  when  they  find  themselves  carrying  a  rider  who 
sits  in  a  side-saddle,  which  must  be  a  most  unnatural 
burden  to  a  horse  that  has  been  broken  and  ridden  by 
men.  Apart  from  considerations  of  side-saddle  gear, 
the  extra  steadiness  which  is  required  of  him  in 
standing  "  stock  "  still  while  a  lady  is  being  put 
up  on  his  back  and  her  habit  arranged,  necessitates 
more  patience  on  his  part  than  with  a  male  rider.  On 
the  other  hand,  he  may  be  impressed  with  the  idea 
that  he  is  being*  asked  to  carry  a  more  precious  burden, 
and  that  he  must  prove  himself  worthy  of  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  him.  I  think  this  feeling  of  honour 
exists  in  horses,  for  I  am  reminded  of  a  charger  which 
an  officer  in  India  lent  me,  with  somewhat  anxious 
misgivings,  to  ride.  He  told  me  that  the  animal 
would  be  sure  to  buck  at  a  certain  spot,  and,  as  he 
rode  with  me,  he  warned  me  when  I  came  to  this 
debateable  ground  to  be  ready  for  the  usual  perform- 
ance. We  cantered  along  quietly,  as  we  had  been 
doing,  for  I  thought  it  best  to  pretend  nothing,  and 
my  mount,  to  his  owner's  great  surprise,  made  no 
attempt  to  buck,  either  then  or  subsequently,  while 
I  was  riding  him,  and  we  remained  the  best  of  friends. 
A  hunter  mare  which  I  had  in  Cheshire,  gave  another 
instance  of  this  honourable  feeling  among  equines. 
When  ridden  by  my  husband  or  myself,  she  loved 
to  show  off  by  shying  at  a  white  gate,  a  heap  of  stones, 
a  piece  of  paper,  a  bird,  or  any  imaginable  thing  that 
she  could  find  as  an  excuse  to  dart  suddenly  from  one 
side  of  the  road  to  the  other.     When  we  got  to   the 


SHYING.  433 

hunting  field,  with  all  its  noise  and  turmoil,  she  was  as 
steady  as  possible,  and  the  violent  shying,  which  was 
her  way  of  showing  off,  seemed  to  be  quite  forgotten. 
She  would  carry  my  son  to  his  school,  a  distance  of 
about  five  miles,  and  bring  him  home  without  making 
any  attempt  to  shy  with  the  child,  but  if  an  adult 
person  rode  her  on  the  same  route,  she  would  play 
up  as  usual.  I  can  only  infer  from  this  experience 
that,  as  I  have  already  said,  many  horses  possess  a 
certain  sense  of  honour.  As  shying  is  the  most 
common  vice  among  horses,  we  may  consider  it  first. 

SHYING. 

I  have  called  this  habit  or  trick  of  becoming  violently 
startled  without  adequate  cause  a  vice,  because  in  old 
horses  who  frequently  shy  with  the  object  of  unseating 
a  rider  thus  suddenly  taken  unawares,  it  certainly  is  a 
very  bad  vice,  and  one  for  which  the  only  cure  is  good 
horsemanship — that  is  to  say,  a  seat  sufficiently  secure 
in  the  saddle  to  enable  us  to  treat  such  conduct  with 
indifference.  If  we  attach  importance  to  it  by  losing 
our  temper  and  hitting  an  artful  offender  of  this  kind, 
punishment  may  cause  an  unpleasant  exhibition  of 
temper  on  his  part,  besides  letting  him  see  that  his 
object  has  been  accomplished.  In  the  case  of  young 
and  nervous  horses,  shying  arises  from  timidity  and 
not  from  vice,  and  therefore  it  behoves  us  to  exhibit 
patience  and  kindness  in  inspiring  confidence  in  such 
animals  and  assuring  them  that  there  is  no  reason  for 
terror.     The  best  means  of  doing  this  is  to  ride  on  and 

28 


434  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

take  no  notice,  although  we  may  see  by  the  behaviour 
of  our  mount,  as  he  keeps  his  ears  pricked,  snorts  at 
the  terrifying  object  in  front  of  him,  slackens  his  pace, 
and  prepares  to  either  stop  or  dart  away,  that  he  will 
require  encouragement  to  induce  him  to  go  on.  As 
long  as  he  answers  the  indications  of  the  reins  and 
pressure  (not  cuts)  of  the  whip  we  should  keep  silent ; 
but  when  he  falters  as  if  his  heart  were  failing  him,  it 
is  time  for  us  to  encourage  him  with  the  voice,  softly 
at  first,  and  louder,  in  a  determined  tone  of  command, 
if  he  still  hesitates.  With  a  young  horse  it  is  well  to 
continue  speaking  to  and  soothing  him  until  he  has 
falteringly  passed  the.  cause  of  alarm,  as  the  sound  of 
his  rider's  voice  often  inspires  him  with  confidence  at 
the  critical  moment  by  withdrawing  his  attention  from 
the  object  of  his  fright.  If  a  lady  is  riding  with  a 
friend  and  is  engaged  in  conversation  when  her  horse 
begins  to  show  fear  at  some  object  of  alarm,  she 
should  continue  her  talk,  because  it  will  give  him  more 
encouragement  to  go  on,  than  sudden  silence  on  her 
part,  which  he  might  take  as  a  sign  that  she  shares  his 
fear.  If  she  finds  it  necessary  to  shorten  her  reins  in 
anticipation  of  his  "  playing  up,"  she  should  do  it  in 
an  easy  and  gradual  manner,  so  as  not  to  let  him  know 
her  intentions,  and  above  all  things  she  should  refrain 
from  speaking  to  him  until  it  is  absolutely  necessary, 
which  will  be  at  the  moment  he  is  getting  ready  to 
swerve.  I  have  at  present  a  very  amiable  and  steady 
hunter,  which  will  invariably  shy  at  any  high  vehicle, 
but  will  pass  traction  engines,  trains  and  even  motor 


SHYING.  435 

cars  quite  quietly.  No  doubt  his  unsteadiness  is 
nervousness  and  not  vice,  and  is  the  result  of  an 
accident.  It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  wrestle  with 
a  horse  until  he  can  be  induced  to  go  up  to  and 
smell  what  he  was  shying  at  ;  for  besides  attaching 
too  much  importance  to  a  trivial  failing,  it  is  not 
always  possible  to  do  this,  in  the  case  of  moving 
objects,  which  cause  animals  far  more  terror  than 
stationary  ones.  The  whip  should  never  be  used  on 
a  shying  horse  with  the  object  of  hurting  him,  because 
it  is  unjust  to  inflict  pain  for  an  unintentional  mistake, 
and  idiotic  to  regard  the  exhibition  of  his  fear  as  a 
personal  affront,  which  is  often  done  by  ignorant  riders. 
Almost  all  horses  when  they  are  very  fresh,  and 
especially  on  cold  days,  will  shy  and  jump  about  on 
first  being  taken  out,  partly  with  the  desire  to  keep 
themselves  warm,  and  also  with  delight  at  being  able 
to  come  out  and  enjoy  a  scamper.  Dogs  exhibit  much 
the  same  skittishness  ;  even  old  animals  gamble  like 
puppies  when  they  are  taken  out,  and  the  shying 
which  results  from  freshness  in  horses  should  be 
tolerated  within,  of  course,  reasonable  limits.  Exercise 
will  take  away  the  superfluous  playfulness,  and  it  is 
one  of  the  best  of  cures  for  equine  failings,  because 
even  young  horses  which  are  regularly  ridden,  soon  give 
up  their  habit  of  nervous  shying  and  become  steady 
conveyances.  However  terrified  an  inexperienced 
horsewoman  may  be  on  finding  herself  on  a  horse 
which  shies  badly,  she  should  take  care  not  to  divulge 
her  secret  to  him,   as  the  animal   would   then   trv   to 

28* 


436  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

usurp  the  reins  of  authority  and  refuse  to  obey  her 
tremulous  exhortations.  She  should  always  bear  in 
mind  that  horses,  young  or  old,  nervous  or  bold, 
require  as  much  keeping  in  their  place  as  do  domestic 
servants.  Therefore,  in  all  critical  situations  in  which 
our  ability  to  govern  is  directly  challenged,  we  should 
assume  the  virtue  of  power  if  we  have  it  not,  and  hang 
our  banners  on  the  outer  walls,  even  though  we  may 
not  have  a  shot  in  the  locker. 

STUMBLING. 

Stumbling  is  not  a  vice,  and  therefore  it  would  be 
as  unjust  to  hit  a  horse  for  accidentally  tripping,  as  it 
would  be  to  strike  a  human  being  for  making  a  false 
step  and  possibly  spraining  an  ankle.  Its  chief 
causes  may,  I  think,  be  traced  to  weakness  ;  and,  in 
the  case  of  young  horses,  to  bad  shoeing  and  dirty 
stables.  The  subject  of  horse-shoeing  is  one  which 
does  not  appeal  to  ordinary  riders,  so  I  may  refer  any 
lady  who  desires  to  study  it,  to  my  husband's  chapter 
on  it,  in  his  new  edition  of  Veterinaiy  Notes  foi'  Horse 
Owners.  The  feet  of  horses  should  not  be  washed, 
because  this  practice  renders  horses  liable  to  cracked 
heels  and  thrush,  both  of  which  ailments  diminish  the 
sure-footedness  of  an  affected  animal.  If  the  feet  are 
carefully  picked  out  and  brushed  they  can  be  kept  in  a 
hard,  healthy  condition,  such  as  we  find  in  the  feet  of 
young  and  unbroken  horses  which  have  never  been 
shod.  The  stable  should  be  kept  clean  and  dry,  for  it 
is  useless  to  expect  a  horse's  feet  to  remain  in  a  sound 


DANCING    AND    PRANCING.  437 

condition  if  he  be  allowed  to  stand  in  a  wet  and  dirty 
stall  or  loose-box.      The  feet  should  always  be  carefully 
picked  out  after  an  animal  has  been  exercised  on  tan, 
which  contains  matter  that  is  injurious  to  the  feet  if  it 
be  allowed  to  remain  in  them.     We  have  had  bad  cases 
of  thrush  caused  by  carelessness  in  this  respect.     As 
regards   conformation,   it  is    evident   that   horses  with 
upright  pasterns  and  heavy  shoulders  are  far  more  apt 
to  stumble  than  well-shaped  ones,  besides  being  rough 
and  unpleasant  to  ride.     Young  horses  which  are  shod 
for  the  first  time,  often  stumble  a  great  deal,  until  they 
get  accustomed  to  their  artificial  foot-gear,  and  learn  to 
go  in  a  collected  manner.     Animals  that  are  punished 
for  stumbling  by  ignorant  or  bad-tempered  riders,  fre- 
quently acquire  the  detestable  habit  of  dancing  about 
every  time  they  make  a  false  step. 

DANCING    AND    PRANCING. 

This  vice,  which  some  badly-broken  horses  possess, 
of  refusing  to  walk  when  required,  and  "blowing  their 
noses  "  when  spoken  to,  proceeds  generally  from  temper, 
and  a  desire  on  the  animal's  part  to  show  his  authority. 
It  is  sometimes  caused  by  the  rider  hanging  on  to  the 
reins,  especially  if  she  uses  a  sharp  curb  or  Pelham.  I 
have  known  cases  of  horses  which  had  been  sold  at  a 
great  sacrifice  on  account  of  this  trick,  become  perfectly 
steady  in  a  few  days  when  properly  handled.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  are  animals  which  prance  from  vice, 
and  refuse  to  obey  even  the  best  horsewomen.  I  know 
of  nothing  more  annoying  to  a  lady,  for  it  causes  her 


43cS  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

to  feel    hot   and    uncomfortable,   to    say   nothing   of  a 
possible  headache  and  pain  in  the  side.      Such  fretting 
and  fuming  brutes  are  not  fit  to  ride,  and  should  be 
put  through  a   course   of  breaking  lessons,  preferably 
with  the  long  reins,  and  be  punished  by  being  compelled 
to  rein  back,  walk  and  halt  at  word  of  command.     If 
It  is  inconvenient  to  have  them  properly  broken,  they 
should  be   driven  in  harness  at  a  walk,   and   be  kept 
standing  about    as  much    as    possible    to    teach    them 
obedience.     A  lady  can  offer  very  little  defence  when 
riding  a  dancing  horse,  but  she  may  gain  some  respite 
by  making  him  halt,  supposing  she  does  not  desire  to 
trot  or  canter.      If  a  steady  animal  commences  to  dance 
without  any  exciting  cause,  such  as  the- prospect   of  a 
hunt,  his  bitting  and   girthing   up  should  be  carefully 
examined,   as  there    may  be    something    hurting  him, 
or    the    saddle    may  be    pinching    his  back.       Horses 
which  are  tormented  by  flies  are  apt  to  dance  about,  In 
which    case    It    Is    best   to   trot   or   canter  as  much  as 
possible.      In  India  and  other  tropical  countries  where 
these  pests  are  particularly  troublesome  during  the  hot 
weather,  horse-hair  wisps  specially  made  for  the  pur- 
pose, are  carried  for  brushing  them  away. 

THROWING    UP    THE    HEAD. 

If  a  curb  be  used,  care  should  be  taken  that  Its 
mouthpiece  Is  not  placed  too  high  up  in  the  mouth  ; 
that  the  chain  is  not  too  tight,  In  which  case  it  would 
hurt  the  jaw  ;  and  that  the  mouthpiece  of  the  snaffle 
does  not  press  against  the  corners  of  the  mouth.      If 


THROWING    UP   THE    HEAD.  439 

there  is  nothing  hurting  the  animal's  mouth,  he  should 
be  ridden  by  a  groom  in  a  standing  martingale,  at  a 
length  which  will  prevent  him  from  getting  his  head 
too  high.  I  like  the  Irish  plan  of  buckling  the  standing 
martingale  to  the  rings  of  the  snaffle,  better  than  that 
of  attaching  it  to  the  noseband,  because  it  teaches  the 
animal  to  "give"  to  the  bridle,  and  not  to  lean  per- 
sistently on  the  noseband.  The  noseband  method  is 
generally  adopted  by  polo  players.  The  precaution  of 
seeing  how  the  horse  behaves  when  he  finds  that  he 
can  no  longer  indulge  in  his  favourite  vice,  should 
always  be  taken  before  he  is  ridden  by  a  lady ;  because 
at  first  the  checking  influence  of  the  standing  martin- 
gale is  sometimes  resented  by  efforts  to  rear  and  plunge 
badly.  If  the  use  of  the  long  reins  is  understood,  it  is 
better  to  have  the  horse  circled  and  turned  with  them, 
but  very  few  people  are  capable  of  using  them  in  an 
efficient  manner.  When  the  animal  finds  himself 
unable  to  successfully  resist  this  fixed  defence  and 
prefers  to  carry  his  head  quietly,  rather  than  to  hurt  his 
mouth  by  violently  throwing  his  head  up,  he  may  be 
safely  ridden  by  a  lady  in  this  martingale,  and  she  will 
then  be  able  to  control  him.  Very  few  horses  will  fight 
against  the  martingale  for  any  length  of  time,  and  as 
this  most  useful  article  of  gear  is  considered  to  be 
indispensable  to  polo  players  for  controlling  their 
animals,  its  value  to  ladies  who  cannot,  by  reason  of 
their  perched-up  position  in  a  side-saddle,  lower  their 
hands  like   men,  is  inestimable. 


440  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 


HABIT-SHY. 

I  use  this  term  to  designate  the  trick  that  some 
horses,  chiefly  those  which  are  unaccustomed  to  the 
side-saddle,  have  of  sidling  away  from  the  skirt.  A 
good  plan  is  to  put  up  a  groom  in  a  side-saddle  with 
a  rug  on,  and  get  him  to  ride  in  circles  to  the  left, 
kicking  the  rug  about  with  his  foot  until  the  horse 
goes  collectedly,  which  he  will  generally  do  in  a  few 
lessons. 

JIBBING. 

Jibbing,  or  ''balking"  as  the  Americans  term  it,  is 
a  detestable  vice.  As  a  rule,  it  is  the  outcome  of  the 
knowledge  an  animal  has  acquired  of  his  own  power. 
Some  horses  are  foolishly  allowed  by  their  riders  to  jib 
successfully.  For  instance,  I  was  once  riding  with  a 
lady  whose  animal  "  planted  "  himself  at  a  certain  spot 
and  refused  to  "budge."  Instead  of  trying  to  make 
him  go  on,  his  mistress  wearily  said  that  that  was  her 
limit,  and  that  she  always  took  him  home  from  it, 
because  he  did  not  want  to  go  any  farther  !  I  sug- 
gested a  change  of  horses,  but  she  would  not  hear  of 
it  ;  for  she  said  I  might  upset  his  temper  and  make 
him  worse  than  ever.  Needless  to  say,  the  spoiled 
brute  did  precisely  as  he  liked  with  her,  and  as  she 
submitted  to  being  "bossed"  in  this  feeble  manner, 
there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  go  home  every  time 
he  "wanted"  to  do  so.  If  a  horse  jibs  and  there  is 
nothing  hurting  him  in  the  saddle  or  bridle,  he  should 


SHOULDERING.  441 

be  shaken  up  sharply  and  ordered  to  go  on.  If  he 
treats  that  order  with  silent  contempt,  the  best  thing 
to  do  is  to  make  him  turn  and  keep  him  circling  until 
he  gets  tired  of  this  performance  and  will  go  in  the 
required  direction.  It  is  wiser  not  to  strike  an 
obstinate  jibber,  unless  as  a  last  resource,  for  further 
rousing  his  bad  temper  is  productive  of  no  good 
result.  If  punishment  has  to  be  resorted  to,  his  rider 
should  be  able  to  form  an  idea  of  what  defence  he  will 
be  likely  to  offer  by  way  of  retaliation.  If  he  is 
inclined  to  rear,  the  cuts  should  be  given  well  behind 
the  girth,  and  he  should  be  kept  on  the  turn  to  the 
right,  in  order  that  he  may  not  fix  his  hind  legs,  which 
he  would  have  to  do  in  order  to  get  up.  If  kicking  be 
his  speciality,  they  should  be  applied  on  the  shoulder, 
while  his  head  is  held  up  as  high  as  possible.  If 
punishment  proves  ineffectual,  it  should  be  discon- 
tinued at  once,  as  no  woman  cares  to  be  the  centre  of 
an  admiring  crowd  while  she  is  engaged  in  a  fight 
which,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  does  more  harm  than 
good.  A  man  told  me  that  he  cured  a  bad  jibber  by 
getting  off  him  and  throwing  a  lighted  cracker  under 
him  ;  but  such  heroic  measures  had  best  not  be  under- 
taken by  a  lady,  who  would  be  wise  to  hand  over  the 
animal  to  a  competent  breaker  if  she  wished  to  ride 
him  again. 

SHOULDERING. 

This  is  a  form  of  jibbing  in  which  the  horse  tries  to 
get  rid  of  his  rider  by  pressing  her  against  some  con- 


442  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

venient  object,  such  as  a  tree  or  wall.  As  he  will 
naturally  do  this  on  the  left  side,  his  rider  should  try 
to  turn  him  to  the  left  to  make  him  bring  her  away 
from  the  object  in  question.  In  other  respects  she 
should  act  as  recommended  in  ''  Jibbing." 


BACKING. 


This  is  another  variety  of  jibbing  ;  but  it  is  also 
caused  by  using  a  severe  bit  which  a  horse  is  afraid  to 
face.  If  the  bitting  and  saddling  are  right,  a  touch 
with  the  whip  given  behind  the  girth  will  generally 
prove  effective.  Sometimes  a  horse  will  deliberately 
back  in  order  to  kick  another.  In  the  hunting  field, 
mares  are  at  times  very  apt  to  try  this  trick,  so  care 
should  be  taken  to  prevent  it. 


PULLING. 


I  have  found  from  experience  that  the  best  kind  of 
gear  in  which  to  hold  a  hard  puller,  who  goes  along 
with  his  mouth  open  and  is  so  headstrong  that  he  will 
not  slacken  speed  when  required,  is  an  ordinary  double 
bridle,  a  cavesson  nose-band  and  a  standing  martingale. 
It  is  far  better  for  ladies,  especially  out  hunting,  to 
ride  animals  in  gear  in  which  they  are  able  to  hold 
them,  than  to  have  them  dashing  about  as  they  like, 
and  proving  a  source  of  danger,  not  only  to  their 
riders,  but  to  the  rest  of  the  field.  A  lady  should 
never  ride  a  hard  puller  when  hunting  ;  but  as  some  of 
us  have  to  put  up  with  what  we  can  get,  it   is   well   to 


PULLING.  443 

fix  up  a  difficult  mount  of  this  kind  in  a  manner  that 
will  keep  him  under  control. 

Some  clever  people  assert  that  any  horse  can  be 
held  with  a  snaffle  ;  but  I  am  certain  that  pullers  can, 
as  a  rule,  be  much  better  controlled  by  a  curb,  provided 
that  it  is  properly  put  on.  I  have  no  faith  in  severe 
bits,  because  the  desire  to  pull  and  tear  away  emanates 
from  the  brain  of  a  horse,  and  if  we  hurt  his  mouth 
by  using  a  severe  bit,  we  only  succeed  in  making 
him  more  headstrong  than  ever.  Most,  if  not  all, 
young  horses  make  frantic  efforts  to  get  away  after 
the  hounds,  when  they  are  hunted  for  the  first 
few  times  ;  and,  until  they  settle  down  and  learn  that 
fences  require  jumping  and  not  galloping  into,  it  is 
far  more  difficult  to  hold  them  without  a  standing- 
martingale  than  with  one.  If  a  horse  is  getting  out 
of  hand,  even  under  the  restraining  influence  of  a 
curb,  we  can  generally  manage  to  turn  him  with  the 
aid  of  a  standing  martingale,  and  so  long  as  we 
can  do  that,  he  cannot  run  away,  as  I  have  found 
when  I  have  been  placed  in  somewhat  critical 
situations,  with  my  curb  ineffective  in  preventing  a 
headstrong  youngster  from  urging  on  his  wild  career 
under  the  intense  excitement  of  his  first  day  with 
hounds.  The  desire  which  a  puller  has  to  get  away 
would  probably  only  occur  in  the  early  part  of  the 
day  when  the  starting  rush  is  made,  but  if  it  w^ere 
successful  he  would  bolt  among  a  lot  of  horses  and 
be  almost  certain  to  cause  an  accident.  A  cavesson 
nose-band  properly  put  on,   will  shut  the  mouth  of  a 


444  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

puller  which  wants  to  keep  it  open,  and  will  thus 
help  the  rider  to  control  him.  If  a  lady  possesses 
doubts  as  to  her  ability  to  hold  her  horse,  she  should 
keep  well  away  from  the  field,  so  that  she  may  not 
endanger  the  safety  of  others.  It  is  always  best  to 
put  animals  which  are  at  all  likely  to  pull,  through 
a  regular  course  of  cub  hunting  from  the  very  begin- 
ning of  the  season,  so  that  they  may  gradually  work 
along  from  the  "  pottering  "  to  the  galloping  stage. 
A  course  of  such  instruction  sobers  them  down, 
and  they  will  then  give  their  rider  far  less  trouble 
than  if  they  are  dashed  off  into  the  excitement  of 
fox  -  hunting  without  having  had  good  preliminary 
training.  This  is  a  fact  which  ladies  should  bear  in 
mind  ;  for  I  have  found  it  work  very  successfully. 

There  is  nothing  like  plenty  of  regular  w^ork  for 
taking  the  nonsense  out  of  pulling  horses.  Mr.  Caton, 
a  well-known  American  trainer  of  match  trotters, 
whom  I  met  in  St.  Petersburg,  told  me  that  he 
always  sent  his  bad  pullers  to  do  a  week  or  two's 
work  in  one  of  the  city  tram-cars,  for  they  always 
came  back  with  a  good  deal  of  the  ''stuffing"  taken 
out  of  them.  Pulling  is  of  course  a  very  bad  vice  ; 
for  a  pulling  horse  know^s  well  enough  what  his  rider 
is  asking  him,  through  the  medium  of  the  reins,  but 
he  shakes  his  head,  or  throws  it  up,  if  he  can,  as 
much  as  to  say  that  he  will  no^  obey.  A  lady  should 
not  be  alarmed  if  she  finds  her  mount  getting  out  of 
hand  ;  but  should,  if  possible,  let  him  go  for  a  short 
distance   and   then   take   a   pull   at   him,    at    the   same 


PULLING.  445 

time  speaking  determinedly  to  him,  and  not  In  a 
frightened  tone.  If  the  brute  will  not  obey,  we  must 
use  severe  measures,  and  in  extreme  cases,  it  is  well 
to  "saw"  the  bit  from  one  side  to  the  other,  in  order 
to  hurt  his  mouth  so  much,  that  from  very  pain  he 
must  perforce  yield.  I  believe  that  many  bad  accidents 
have  occurred  through  riders  becoming  frightened 
and  refraining  from  the  use  of  force  in  stopping  a 
hard  puller,  who  is  thus  allowed  to  run  away.  I 
think  that  if  people  could  keep  their  heads  clear  and 
not  clutch  on  to  the  saddle  and  let  the  reins  loose, 
or  maintain  a  dead  hold  of  them,  which  Is  equally 
Ineffective,  but  husband  their  resources  for  determined 
attacks,  very  few  horses  would  succeed  in  bolting 
with  their  riders.  Of  course  a  great  deal  depends 
on  the  strength  of  the  seat  of  the  rider  ;  for  we 
must  sit  very  tight  and  not  let  our  mount  feel  us 
wobbling  about  in  the  saddle.  We  should  never 
forget  the  power  of  the  voice  as  a  factor  in  horse 
control,  and  our  attempts  to  stop  a  pulling  animal 
should  always  be  accompanied  by  a  sternly  ex- 
pressed word  of  command.  In  my  travels  abroad,  I 
have  ridden  some  extremely  bad  pullers  which  were 
said  to  bolt  with  men  ;  but  although  I  certainly 
had  trouble  with  such  animals,  none  of  them  suc- 
ceeded in  running  away  with  me  and  taking  me 
where  they  liked.  My  husband  also  has  a  similar 
record  in  this  respect,  so  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
when  a  rider  Is  actually  bolted  with,  he  or  she  must 
have  got  frightened  and  confused  at  a  critical  moment 


446  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

and  have  allowed  the  animal  to  literally  take  the 
reins  of  authority  in  his  teeth.  It  requires  a  good 
deal  of  physical  strength  to  control  a  hard  puller, 
and  I  have  had  my  gloves  and  hands  badly  cut  in 
wrestling  w^ith  particularly  headstrong  brutes.  On 
the  other  hand,  some  horses  which  have  really  nice 
mouths,  get  the  name  of  being  pullers,  on  account 
of  having  been  ridden  by  "mutton-fisted"  men  who 
hang  on  to  the  reins  and  thus  irritate  them  beyond 
control.  I  am  reminded  of  a  big  Australian  horse, 
about  seventeen  hands  high,  which  Mr.  Macklin,  the 
Australian  horse  -  shipper,  brought  to  Calcutta  and 
lent  me  to  ride  in  a  paper-chase  there.  This  animal 
carried  me  perfectly,  although  his  rough  rider  (more 
"rough"  than  "rider")  afterwards  showed  me  an  un- 
jointed  snaffle  bent  almost  double,  which  he  said  had 
been  caused  by  this  "pulling  devil  of  a  horse"! 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  truth  in  the  saying,  that  if 
you  don't  pull  at  a  horse,  he  won't  pull  at  you.  I 
am  sure  that  many  horsemen,  and  certainly  every 
riding  member  of  my  sex,  will  bear  me  out  in  stating 
that  women  manage  pullers  far  better  than  do  men, 
because  they  do  not  hang  on  to  their  mouths,  in 
order  to  help  them  in  keeping  their  seats.  Where 
many  w^omen  greatly  err  in  riding  confirmed  pullers, 
is  in  inability  to  take  sufficiently  harsh  measures 
which  are  needed  for  their  control.  I  am  aware  that 
there  are  animals,  especially  race-horses,  which  cannot 
be  held  at  all  until  they  have  gone  a  certain  distance. 
The   pace   holds   them,    but   such  headstrong  animals 


PULLING.  447 

tire  themselves  unnecessarily,  and   generally   have  to 
"shut  up"  before  the  finish  of  a  long  distance  race; 
for  the  steady   plodding  horse   will   almost  invariably 
prove  the  better  stayer  of  the  two.      In  hunting,  the 
pace   will   not   always   hold   a   horse,    because   hounds 
may  check  at  any  moment,   the   start  to  a   ''  holloa  " 
may  prove  a  false  alarm,  and  leaving  out  the  uncertain 
behaviour  of  foxes,  a  sudden  stoppage  may  be  caused 
by  an  impossible  fence,  river,  railway,  or  by  a  variety 
of  causes   which   would    amply   prove    the   fallacy   of 
the  pace  holding  a  hard  puller   in   the   hunting  field. 
As  pulling  horses  are  the  cause  of  frequent  hunting 
accidents,  I  would  specially  caution  my  readers  against 
riding   animals   which   they   are   not   able   to   keep   in 
hand. 

If  a  lady  is  riding  a  good  old  hunter  who  insists  on 
going  his  own  pace,  she  should  interfere  with  him  as 
little  as  possible,  even  in  her  desire  to  steady  him 
over  bad  ground  and  at  his  fences  ;  because  the  large 
majority  of  these  animals  have  their  own  method  ol 
doing  business,  and  can  be  safely  trusted  to  take  care 
of  themselves.  If  they  are  unduly  checked  in  gallop- 
ing, they  are  apt  to  pull  very  hard,  and  greatly  tire 
their  riders.  I  am,  of  course,  alluding  to  good- 
tempered,  well-made  hunters  which  go  best  with  a 
rider  who  sits  still  on  their  backs  and  trusts  to  their 
experience  and  honour. 

Concerning  the  best  kind  of  bridle  in  which  to  hold 
a  puller,  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  the  following 
remarks     from     my     husband's     book,     Riding    and 


448  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

Huntmg  : — ''  As    regards    the    bitting    of    a    puller,  I 
would  advise  that  with  a  double  bridle  the  curb  should 

be   put  low  down   in   the   mouth In    all 

cases  an  unjointed  snaffle  is  much  the  best  form  of  bit. 
With  a  double  bridle  we  have  a  choice  between  the 
two.  We  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  action  of  a 
curb  is  peculiarly  liable  to  produce  insensibility  of  the 
mouth  on  account  of  its  pressure  being  distributed 
almost  completely  round  the  lower  jaw,  while  that  of 
the  snaffle  falls  only  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  jaw. 
Even  the  jointed  snaffle  and  the  chain  snaffle  leave 
the  under  surface  of  the  jaw  free  from  pressure,  and 
consequently  interfere  comparatively  little  with  the 
circulation  and  nervous  supply  of  that  part.  Hence 
we  should  avoid  riding  even  the  worst  puller  con- 
tinuously on  the  curb,  the  action  of  which  we  should 
alternate  from  time  to  time  with  that  of  the  snaffle, 
so  as  to  preserve  the  sensibility  of  the  jaw.  It  is 
evident  that  the  sensibility  of  the  mouth  is  the  means 
by  which  we  are  enabled  to  remain  in  touch  with  the 
forehand  of  the  horse.  I  would  here  recommend  the 
alternative,  not  the  combined,  employment  of  the 
curb  and  the  snaffle."  Thin  bits  which  Irritate  horses' 
•mouths  often  cause  them  to  fight  and  pull  hard  ;  it  Is 
unfortunately  no  uncommon  sight  in  the  hunting  field 
to  see  a  tortured  horse  bleeding  from  the  mouth,  and 
yet  such  animals  are  expected  to  gallop  and  jump 
kindly  ! 


REFUSING.  449 


REFUSING. 

To  jump  or  not   to  jump,  that  is  the  question  with 
which  determined  refusers  have  '' stumped "   some  of 
the  very  best  cross  country  riders.      I  am  reminded  of 
an    instance    which  occurred     in    India,    when    a    fine 
horsewoman,    seeing     a    friend     unable    to    make    his 
mount  jump  in  a  paper-chase,  which  is  nearly  akin  to 
a  steeple-chase,  rode   him  herself  in  the  next  one,  with 
no  better  result,  and  great  must  have  been  her  morti- 
fication on  finding  herself  left  on  the  wrong  side  of  the 
first  fence   which  the  determined   brute  refused  to  look 
at,  even   when    carrying  this   charming  lady,  to  whom 
many   equine   bad  characters  had    yielded    obedience. 
This  appeared  to   be  a  sheer   case  of  equine   temper 
and  obstinacy  ;  for  the   animal  could  jump  well  when 
he  liked,  but  the  man   or   woman   has  yet  to  be  born 
who  can  make  a  horse  jump  when  he  has  decided  not 
to  do   so.      I   have  a  very  strong   belief  that  refusers 
are  made,  not  born,    for  every   unbroken  horse   which 
my  husband    had   to  deal   with  in   his  travels,  tried  his 
best   to  give   satisfaction  by  making  an  effort,  even  if 
an  unscientific  one,  to   clear   the  obstacle,  generally  a 
heavy  log  of  wood   propped   up  on  boxes,  which  was 
offered  for  his  consideration.      If  he  jumped   well,  and 
in  the  flippant  style   of  a   natural   fencer,  more  boxes 
were     produced,     and     sometimes     these    youngsters 
cleared    quite  a  respectable    height  in  one  ''lepping" 
lesson    with   me  on  their  backs,    and    my  husband    at 

29 


450  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

the  end  of  the  long  reins.  The  abuse  of  the  curb  at 
fences  is  the  cause  of,  I  think,  half  the  falls,  and  more 
than  half  of  the  refusals  which  we  see  in  the  hunting 
field.  In  Ireland,  where  the  large  majority  of  our 
hunters  come  from,  the  snaffle  is  the  bit  used  in 
breaking  and  hunting,  as  it  is  in  steeple-chasing  ;  and 
althouo-h   our   Irish   neiohbours  find -the    curb  has  its 

o  o 

advantages,  we  must  admit  that  they  keep  it  in  its 
proper  place  and  do  not  allow  it  to  usurp  the  snaffle 
when  riding  over  fences.  The  sportsmen  of  Tippe- 
rary,  Kildare,  Cork  and  other  parts  of  Ireland,  who 
have  to  negotiate  immense  banks,  would  ridicule  the 
idea  of  ridino-  at  such  obstacles  on  the  curb,  because 
no  sane  person  would  think  of  checking  a  horse  in 
such  a  manner  ;  and  the  solid  "  cope  and  dash  "  stone 
walls  of  Galway  also  require  to  be  taken  by  an 
animal  whose  mouth  is  not  interfered  with.  Here 
in  England  we  see  these  Irish  hunters  frequently 
ridden  at  fences  on  the  curb,  and  the  poor  brutes,  in 
order  to  save  their  mouths  and  keep  on  their  legs, 
throw  up  their  heads  and  give  a  half  buck  over  the 
obstacle,  landing  on  all  fours,  and  then  get  a  cut  with 
the  whip  for  having  jumped  badly!  This  is  how 
many  refusers  are  made.  Another  recipe  for  making 
a  refuser  is  to  pretend  to  ride  hard  at  a  fence  and,  at 
the  last  moment,  turn  the  animal's  head  from  it,  and 
then  loudly  rate  and  "lambaste"  him  for  refusing! 
Still  another  method  is  to  "  funk  "  the  obstacle  when 
it  is  too  late,  and  check  the  horse  with  the  curb  after 
he  has  made  his  spring,  which  will  cause  him  to  crash 


REFUSING.  451 

into  the  middle  of  the  fence,  and  probably  bring  both 
himself  and  his  rider  to  grief.  My  husband,  being  a 
veterinary  surgeon,  has  had  hunters  brought  to  him 
in  a  most  pitiable  state  of  laceration,  caused,  I  believe, 
in  many  cases,  by  *'  funk"  and  curb,  a  most  disastrous 
combination.  We  have  in  our  stable  at  the  time  of 
writing,  a  very  intelligent  hunter  who  was  dreadfully 
injured  from  having,  it  is  said,  "jumped  bang  into  a 
fence,"  but  I  wish  that  patient  sufferer  could  tell  me 
the  real  cause  of  his  accident.  It  was  one  of  those 
crumpling  falls  which  seem  to  mean  death  to  both 
horse  and  rider,  but  luckily  in  this  case,  the  rider 
escaped  with  a  few  bruises  and  a  smashed  hat.  The 
horse  was  also  fortunate  in  a  way,  as  no  bones  were 
broken  ;  but  the  skin  and  flesh  of  his  near  fore-leg 
were  torn  off  from  almost  the  shoulder  to  the  knee, 
and  I  wondered,  as  I  looked  on  that  gaping,  bleeding- 
wound,  and  the  poor  animal  quivering  with  pain  and 
hardly  able  to  bear  even  placing  the  tip  of  his  toe  on 
the  ground,  if  he  would  ever  have  the  courage  to  face 
a  fence  again.      Luckily,  he  is  all  right  now. 

I  have  heard  people  talk  about  a  ''good  fall"  being 
the  best  means  for  teaching  horses  how  to  jump,  and 
there  is  a  certain  modicum  of  truth  in  this,  especially 
with  young  horses,  and  young  horsemen  too  for  that 
matter;  but  when  an  old  hunter  gets  a  "bad"  fall,  I 
doubt  whether  he  ever  recovers  his  jumping  form  again, 
any  more  than  we  ourselves  who  may  have  come  an 
awful  "buster"  after  we  have  reached  the  "age  of 
discretion."      Horses    frequently    refuse   on    account  of 

29* 


452  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

some  physical  infirmity.  Unsoundness  In  one  or  both 
fore  legs  naturally  makes  a  horse  chary  of  jumping, 
because  of  the  painful  jar  which  he  will  receive  on 
landing,  when  he  is  obliged  to  place  his  entire  weight 
on  his  fore  legs.  Then  again,  If  his  feet  are  not  in  a 
hard  and  sound  condition,  he  ''funks"  the  pain  of 
landing  over  a  fence  and  tries  his  best  to  avoid 
jumping.  Many  unsound  horses,  generally  hirelings, 
are  hammered  along  out  hunting,  especially  on  roads, 
with  most  Inconsiderate  cruelty.  I  once  tried  to  hunt 
on  a  hireling  which,  I  soon  saw,  was  not  In  a  fit  state  to 
carry  me  without  pain.  Had  I  insisted  on  having  my 
money's  worth  out  of  the  animal,  it  would  have  been 
nothing  short  of  gross  cruelty.  His  fore  legs  were 
bandaged,  as  Is  usual  with  hired  mounts,  and  he 
galloped  and  jumped  several  small  fences  soundly,  as 
far  as  I  could  feel ;  but  when  he  came  to  a 
rather  formidable  one,  he  stopped  and  tried  to 
rear.  I  at  once  found  an  easier  means  of  egress, 
which  took  me  for  a  short  distance  on  a  road, 
and  the  hard  ground  of  only  about  20  yards  seemed  to 
tell  so  much  on  one  leg,  that  I  felt  him  going  decidedly 
short,  pulled  him  up  and  walked  him  home.  When  I 
arrived  in  Melton  Mowbray,  a  lady,  the  last  person  in 
the  world  whom  I  would  have  cared  to  meet,  hailed 
me  with  the  news  that  Miss  So-and-so  had  broken  her 
collar-bone,  a  fact  which  appeared  to  give  her  more 
pleasure  than  sorrow,  ''and  you"  she  said,  "have 
lamed  your  horse  "  !  The  dealer  evidently  expected 
this  result ;  for  when  I    rode  the  horse  Into   his  yard. 


REFUSING.  453 

so  that  I  might  personally  explain  things  to  him,  he 
told  me  that  the  animal,  which  was  only  a  four  year  old, 
had  been  "ridden  very  hard"  by  an  officer,  who,  I  am 
sorry  to  say,  has  since  lost  his  life  in  South  Africa. 
The  dealer  tried  his  best  to  make  amends  by  subse- 
quently offering  me  another  mount  for  nothing  ;  but  he 
certainly  did  err  in  letting  out  this  young  unsound 
animal,  and  spoiling  my  day's  sport,  for  which  I  had 
paid  the  usual  guineas.  My  only  regret  in  the  matter 
is  that  I  galloped  and  jumped  an  animal  which  was  not 
in  a   fit  state  to  perform  such  work. 

Horses  are  frequently  rendered  refusers  by  being 
repeatedly  jumped  over  the  same  fence,  until  they  get 
so  disgusted  with  the  performance  that  they  will  have  no 
more  of  it.  Spurs  and  whip  then  come  into  play  and 
make  matters  worse.  Even  if  the  animal  jumps  the 
fence  after  a  good  deal  of  unnecessary  fighting,  the 
memory  of  this  unjust  punishment  remains  in  his  mind, 
and  is  productive  of  the  violent  agitation  which  such 
horses  exhibit  on  being  taken  near  a  jump.  It  is  a 
wise  plan  to  stop  a  "  lepping  "  lesson  immediately  after 
the  horse  has  cleared  the  jump  in  good  style,  and  then 
make  much  of  him  (patting  him  on  the  neck  and 
speaking  kindly  to  him).  Punishing  horses  at  fences 
with  w^hip  and  spur  renders  them  afraid  to  face  their 
jumps  ;  because  they  think  that  they  will  be  knocked 
about,  even  when  they  are  trying  their  best  to  give 
satisfaction.  Many  faulty  and  bad  tempered  riders  are 
unnecessarily  cruel  in  this  respect.  If  a  horse  refuses 
from  seeing  an   animal  fall  in  front  of  him,  his  natural 


454  RIDING   DIFFICULT   HORSES. 

prudence  should  not  be  taken  as  a  personal  affront,  but 
he  should  be  spoken  to  and  encouraged  to  try, 
preferably,  if  possible,  after  another  horse  has  got 
safely  over  the  obstacle,  if  there  is  no  other  part  of  the 
fence  negotiable.  I  think  that  by  dint  of  patience  and 
tactful  management,  many  refusers  may  be  taught  to 
repose  sufficient  confidence  in  their  riders  to  make  an 
effort  when  required,  but  that  can  be  done  only  by 
gentle  means  and  easy  tasks.  Old  tricky  offenders 
cannot  be  cured  of  this  or  any  other  vice.  A  lady  who 
is  hunting  on  a  doubtful  jumper  should  be  careful  not 
to  upset  other  horses  by  letting  her  refuser  perform 
in  front  of  them,  but  should  show  consideration  for 
her  companions  by  keeping  a  backward  place,  sup- 
posing that  several  horses  are  taking  their  turn  at 
jumping  the  only  practicable  part  in  a  fence.  Refusers 
are  detested  in  the  hunting  field,  and  a  lady  whose 
hunter  is  known  to  shirk  his  fences  and  stir  up  equine 
rebellion,  is  soon  classed  among  the  large  number  of 
those  who  never  will  be  missed. 

BORING. 

Horses  are  said  to  bore  when  they  carry  their  heads 
down  and  lean  heavily  on  the  bit  or  bear  on  it  to  one 
side.  As  both  the  curb  and  Pelham  have  a  ten- 
dency to  make  a  horse  carry  his  head  low,  they  should 
not,  as  a  rule,  be  used  with  a  borer.  The  rider  might 
make  the  animal  keep  his  head  in  proper  position  by 
playing  with  the  snaffle,  the  cheekpieces  of  the  bridle  of 
which  may  be  shortened,  so  that  the  mouthpiece  may 


KICKING.  455 

press  against  the  corners  of  the  mouth  and  thus  Induce 
him  to  keep  up  his  head.  The  same  effect  can  be  obtained 
with  the  gag  snaffle,  which  has  the  advantage  that, 
when  one's  object  Is  gained,  one  can  ease  off  the  gag 
reins  and  take  up  the  other  reins,  which  are  used  In  the 
ordinary  manner.  When  a  horse  bores  to  one  side,  or 
when  he  bores  with  his  head  stuck  stralo-ht  out,  the 
standing  martingale  will  often  be  useful  for  correcting 
this  unpleasant  fault.  I  have  seen  In  trotting  matches 
a  bearing-rein  (called  In  America  an  ''over-draw  check- 
rein  ")  passing  between  the  animal's  ears,  going- 
down  the  top  of  his  head  and  attached  to  the  pommel 
of  the  saddle,  effectively  employed  to  correct  this  fault. 
It  would,  of  course,  be  too  unsightly  to  be  used  by 
a  lady,  but  her  groom  might  employ  it  advantageously 
In  teaching  a  borer  to  carry  his  head  in  correct 
position. 

KICKING. 

If  practicable,  we  should  first  of  all  see  that  the 
saddle  does  not  hurt  the  horse  In  any  way.  If  this 
be  all  right,  we  may  "shake  him  up  "  with  the  snaffle 
reins  and  make  him  carry  his  head  high.  If  this  be  not 
effective,  he  should  be  given  a  few  cuts  with  the  whip 
on  the  shottlder.  Making  him  hold  up  his  head 
and  touching  him  on  the  shoulder  are  done  to  *'  lighten  " 
his  forehand,  and  to  put  more  weight  on  his  hind 
quarters.  Also,  we  may  with  much  advantage  give 
him  some  practice  at  reining  back,  within  judicious 
limits,    either  when  we  are  in  the  saddle,   or  with  the 


456  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

long  reins.  When  a  horse  starts  kicking,  the  rider 
should  take  a  strong  grip  of  her  crutches  and  lean 
back,  as  far  as  she  is  able,  while  holding  his  head 
up,  and  thus  prevent  herself  from  being  thrown  over 
his  head.  The  most  awkward  kicker  I  ever  rode  was 
a  mountain  Zebra  (Fig.  146),  which  my  husband 
broke  in  at  Calcutta.  He  kicked  very  neatly  without 
lowering  his  head,  and,  as  the  slightest  touch  on  his 
ears  drove  him  nearly  out  of  his  mind,  I  had  great 
difficulty  in  avoiding  them,  as  he  kicked  with  a  sort 
of  peculiar  wriggle  which  complicated  the  perform.ance 
for  me,  because  I  had  had  no  practice  on  a  kicking 
zebra,  and  had  to  pick  up  my  knowledge  as  I  went  on. 
It  was  no  use  trying  to  rein  hi77i  back  ;  for  he  had 
a  neck  like  a  bull,  with  a  small  rudimentary  dewlap, 
and  at  every  kick  he  gave,  he  made  a  noise  like  a  pig 
grunting.  His  skin  was  the  best  part  about  him,  and 
was  as  lovely  and  soft  to  the  touch  as  the  finest 
sealskin.  As  I  believe  I  am  the  only  woman  who 
has  ridden  a  mountain  zebra,  this  photograph  is  pro- 
bably unique.  It  ought  to  be  a  better  one,  seeing 
the  trouble  I  took  to  make  my  obstinate  mount  stand 
still ;  but  he  seemed  to  regard  the  camera  as  an  in- 
fernal machine  destined  for  his  destruction,  and  flatly 
refused  to  pose  nicely  for  his  portrait.  He  was  far 
too  neck-strong  to  make  a  pleasant  mount  for  a  lady. 
Kickers,  as  I  have  already  said,  should  never  be  taken 
into  any  hunting  field. 


BUCK-JUMPING. 


457 


BUCK-JUMPING. 

Under  this  heading  I  shall  include  the  minor  vices  of 
plunging  and  "pig-jumping."  Bucking  is  all  but 
unknown    among    English    and  Eastern    horses,     but 


Fig.  146. — Riding  mountain  zebra. 

is  seen  to  its  highest  perfection  among  Australian  and 
New  Zealand  animals,  especially  those  that  have  been 
allowed  their  liberty  up  to  a  comparatively  late  period 
of  life,  say,  four  years  old.  I  have  ridden  some  buck- 
jumping  Argentine  horses  which  were  expert  per- 
formers :  many  of  the  wild  Russian  steppe  horses 
are   very  bad  buck-jumpers.       Some   English    horses. 


458  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

especially  thoroughbreds,  can  give  a  very  fair  imitation 
of  this  foreign  equine  accomplishment.  I  remember 
riding  a  steeple-chase  horse  called  Emigrant,  which 
placed  quite  enough  strain  both  on  me  and  my  girths 
when  he  was  first  called  upon  to  carry  a  side-saddle.  If  a 
horse  has  any  buck  in  him,  the  side-saddle  will  be  almost 
certain  to  bring  it  out ;  for  with  it  the  animal  requires 
to  be  girthed  up  extra  tightly ;  the  balance  strap 
"  tickles  and  revolts  "  him,  the  lady's  weight  is  farther 
back  than  on  a  man's  saddle,  and  the  unusual  feeling 
of  carrying  a  rider  whose  legs  are  placed  on  one  side, 
tends  to  irritate  a  highly  sensitive  horse.  If  an  animal, 
on  being  saddled,  gets  his  "back  up,"  he  should  not 
be  mounted  until  this  certain  indication  of  the  buck 
that  is  in  him  has  been  removed,  which  may  be  done  by 
either  circling  him  with  the  long  reins,  or  letting  a 
groom  run  him  about  a  little  until  his  back  goes  dow^n. 
A  cold  saddle  and  a  chilly  day  will  often  cause  a  horse 
to  come  out  of  his  stable  with  his  back  in  bucking  posi- 
tion, and,  unless  a  lady  knows  her  animal  well,  it  is  best 
to  get  it  down  before  she  mounts,  because  he  may  buck 
as  she  is  in  the  act  of  placing  her  right  leg  over  the 
crutch — a  part  of  mounting  which  animals  that  are 
unaccustomed  to  it  greatly  dislike,  as,  I  suppose,  they 
think  she  is  going  to  give  them  a  kick  on  the  head  ! 

As  I  used  to  do  the  rough-riding  for  my  husband  on 
his  horse-breaking  tours  in  various  countries,  I  have  had 
to  sit  a  good  many  buck-jumpers,  and,  am  thankful  to 
say,  I  never  got  thrown,  because,  from  what  I  have  seen 
of  men  being  catapulted  and  placed  on  the  Hat  of  their 


BUCK-JUMPING.  459 

backs  on  the  ground,  this  kind  of  fall  must  be,  as 
Jorrocks  would  say,  "a  hawful  thing."  The  great 
difficulty  in  sitting  a  buck-jumper  consists  in  keeping 
the  body  from  being  jerked  forward  in  the  saddle,  and 
slackening  the  reins  the  moment  the  animal  makes 
a  vicious  downward  snatch  at  them,  by  ducking  his 
head  ;  for  if  the  rider  hangs  on  to  his  head,  he  will  pull 
her  forward  by  means  of  the  reins,  and  she  will  be 
unable  to  sit  the  l)uck  which  will  follow.  All  confirmed 
buck-jumpers  look  out  for  this  opportunity  whenever 
the  rider  draws  the  reins  tiohtlv.  Ladies  who  ride  with 
the  right  leg  hooked  back  would  not  be  able  to  sit 
a  buck-jumper  ;  for  I  found  that  the  chief  means  which 
prevented  me  from  being  thrown  w^as  the  ability  to  lean 
back,  which  the  forward  position  of  my  right  leg  gave 
me.  When  riding  bad  horses  at  my  husband's  classes, 
I  was  able  to  see  beforehand  what  special  defence  such 
animals  offered,  and  was,  therefore,  prepared  to  cope 
with  them ;  but  I  have  been  taken  unaw^ares  when 
mounted  on  Australian  horses  which  dealers  in  India 
have  lent  me,  w^hen  they  hav^  wanted  to  sell  such 
animals  as  having  carried  a  lady.  I  remember  one 
very  handsome  Waler,  which  went  like  a  lamb  with  me 
until  suddenly,  when  cantering  quietly  along,  he  took  it 
into  his  head  to  try  and  Ijuck  me  off  He  did  his  best 
to  accomplish  his  purpose,  and  w^as  encouraged  in  his 
efforts  by  my  pith  hat  coming  off  and  flopping  about 
my  head.  I  wished  the  thing  could  have  fallen,  but  it 
was  held  by  the  elastic — we  wore  our  hair  in  plaits 
at   the    nape    of   the   neck    in    those   days — and  I  had 


46o  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

securely  pinned  the  elastic  with  hairpins  under  my  hair. 
This  great  wobbling  hat  only  caused  the  horse  to  buck 
worse  than  ever,  until  he  tired  of  his  performance  and 
came  to  a  sudden  halt.  I  w^as  greatly  exhausted,  and 
suffering  from  mental  tension,  because  I  was  entirely 
unprepared  for  this  attack,  and  doubted  the  security  of 
my  stronghold,  for  the  girths  of  my  saddle  had  seen 
a  lot  of  service,  and  the  strain  on  them,  caused  by  the 
violent  bucking  of  this  powerful  sixteen-hand  animal, 
was  very  great. 

The  bigger  a  horse  is,  the  more  difficult  he  is  to  sit 
when  he  bucks  badly,  because  he  can  put  much  more 
force  into  the  performance  than  a  small  animal,  and  he 
shakes  the  breath  out  of  one  much  sooner.  It  Is  lucky 
for  us  that  a  wise  providence  has  placed  a  limit  on  a 
horse's  bucking  capabilities.  I  think  that  ten  or  twelve 
bucks,  given  in  good  style  and  without  an  interval  for 
recuperation,  Is  about  as  much  as  any  horse  can 
do,  but  possibly  my  Australian  readers  can  give 
statistics  on  this  point.  I  hope  I  am  not  offending 
them  in  saying  that  Australian  horses  are  the  most 
accomplished  buck-jumpers  I  have  met.  Australian 
shippers  send  many  of  them  over  to  India,  and  rely 
on  the  long  sea  voyage  to  quieten  them  down,  which  It 
does  to  a  certain  extent.  Mr.  Macklln,  an  Australian 
importer,  told  me  that  a  horse-carrying  ship  was 
wrecked  on  some  part  of  the  coast,  an  island,  I  believe, 
between  Australia  and  India,  and  that  there  is  a  big 
colony  of  wild  horses  to  be  picked  up  by  anyone  who 
will   go    and    take    them.      I    like    Australian    horses, 


BUCK-JUMPING.  461 

because  they  are  excellent  jumpers,  have  beautiful 
shoulders  and  are  remarkably  sound  in  wind  and  limb. 
They  are  moreover  handsome  breedy  looking  animals, 
and  those  of  them  which  are  addicted  to  bucking, 
soon  give  up  this  vice,  if  ridden  by  capable  people. 

A  lady  who  finds  herself  on  a  bucking  horse  should 
try  her  best  tt)  keep  both  her  head  and  her  seat,  and 
not  be  in  any  way  disconcerted  by  hearing  the  angry 
grunts  which  such  animals  often  give  with  each  buck 
they  make  to  get  her  off  She  should  lean  back  and 
firmly  grip  her  crutches  as  in  sitting  over  a  fence, 
and  should  try  to  imagine  that  she  is  jumping  a  line 
of  obstacles  placed  close  together.  If  she  feels  any 
forward  displacement  after  one  buck,  she  must  hastily 
get  into  position  to  be  ready  for  the  next  one, 
without  pausing  for  a  moment  to  think,  because  there 
will  be  no  time  for  thought,  and  her  recovery  of 
balance  must  be  done  automatically,  while  the  animal 
is  doubling  himself  up  for  his  next  buck.  If  her  hat, 
which  is  generally  the  first  thing  to  leave  the  saddle, 
flies  off,  no  notice  must  be  taken,  because  the  instant 
the  rider  devotes  her  attention  to  anything  else  but 
sticking  on,  she  relaxes  her  grip  and  stands  a  good 
chance  of  being  thrown.  The  most  difficult  of  all 
bucking  I  have  experienced  was  when  hunting  in 
Leicestershire  on  a  young  Argentine  mare,  which 
started  to  buck  when  we  were  galloping  down  hill 
over  deep  ridge  and  furrow.  I  knew  her  bucking 
propensities,  because  my  husband  broke  her  in  and 
I    had    had    a   good    deal    of    bucking    practice    with 


462  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

her,  so  I  was  able  to  remain,  but  that  down  hill 
ridge  and  furrow  performance  was  extremely  hard 
to  sit.  Like  most  young  animals,  she  hated  ridge 
and  furrow,  and  her  temper  was  upset  on  finding 
that  she  had  to  gallop  down  hill  over  this  trouble- 
some ground.  The  necessity  of  devoting  careful 
attention  to  the  soundness  of  the  girth-tugs,  stirrup- 
leather,  and  balance-strap  when  riding  a  horse  which 
is  likely  to  buck  Is  obvious,  for  of  course  If  they 
give  way  under  the  strain,  no  lady  would  be  able  to 
retain  her  seat. 

REARING. 

Rearino-  Is  the  worst  of  all  vices  in  a  horse  which 
has  to  carry  a  side-saddle,  because  a  lady,  by 
reason  of  her  side  position  and  her  inability  to 
lower  her  hands  to  the  same  extent  as  a  man,  is 
utterly  powerless  on  a  rearer.  I  have  seen  men 
slip  off  over  the  animal's  tail,  when  he  w^as  standing 
on  his  hind  legs,  but  this  Is  a  feat  which  a  woman 
Is  unable  to  accomplish,  as  1  found  when  a  horse 
reared  and  came  over  with  me  at  Tientsin  In  China, 
and  hurt  my  spine  so  much  that  I  felt  Its  effects 
for  several  years  afterwards,  especially  after  a  hard 
day's  hunting,  or  a  long  swim.  Swimming  appears 
to  tax  the  soundness  of  the  spinal  bones  quite  as 
much  as  does  ridino-.  The  best  thino"  to  do  with 
a  rearer  is  to  prevent  him  from  fixing  his  hind 
legs,  which  he  would  have  to  do  before  he  can 
get  up,  and  therefore  a  long  whip  should  be  used, 
and    the    animal    touched    with   It  as    near    the    hocks 


REARING.  463 

as  possible,  keeping  him  at  the  same  time  on  the 
turn  to  the  right.  Confirmed  rearers  are  however 
so  quick  in  getting  up  on  their  hind  legs,  that 
the  rider  has  no  time,  even  were  she  supplied  with 
a  sufficiently  long  whip,  to  get  anywhere  near  his 
hocks,  and  all  she  can  do  is  to  lean  well  forward 
and  leave  his  mouth  alone.  If  she  is  still  alive 
when  he  comes  down,  my  strong  advice  would  be 
to  get  off  his  back,  and  give  him,  as  the  late  Mr. 
Abingdon  Baird  did  in  the  case  of  a  similar  brute, 
to  the  first  passer  by  !  Rearing  is  no  test  of 
horsemanship,  and  the  sickening  sight  of  ladies 
in  circuses  mounted  on  rearers  is  one  from  which 
every  good  horsewoman  would  recoil  with  horror. 
At  Rentz  circus  in  Hamburo-  I  saw  one  of  these 
awful  sights,  and  noticed  that  the  ringmaster  kept 
touching  the  steiger  on  the  fore-legs  with  the 
whip  in  order  to  make  him  paw  the  air.  I  have 
been  told  that  so  long  as  a  rearing  horse  keeps 
pawing  in  this  manner,  he  will  not  fall  over,  but 
such  horrid  exhibitions  ought  to  be  prevented. 
There  is  nothing  more  trying  to  the  nerves  of 
any  rider  than  hunting  on  a  refuser  which  has  a 
tendency  to  rear,  and  I  have  known  ladies  whose 
nerves  have  been  utterly  shattered  in  their  efforts 
to  govern  such  dangerous  brutes.  Take  my  advice 
ladies  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  these  animals  ; 
for  it  is  far  easier  to  get  rid  of  a  horse  than  it 
is  to  recover  one's  nerve,  and  the  longer  a  lady 
tries    to    wrestle    with    a    rearer,    the    more    difficulty 


464  RIDING    DIFFICULT    HORSES. 

will  she  have  in  overcoming  the  strain  on  her 
nervous  system.  I  would  not  take  a  rearing  horse 
at  a  gift,  for  such  animals  can  never  be  made 
sufficiently  reliable  for  any  woman  to  ride.  Horses 
sometimes  learn  this  detestable  vice  from  others. 
I  once  had  an  animal  in  Calcutta  which  began 
i:*earing  with  me  without  any  known  cause,  and  I 
was  greatly  mystified  about  his  behaviour  until  one 
day  I  saw  my  syce,  who  was  exercising  him,  in 
company  with  a  native  on  a  horse  which  was 
rearing  badly,  while  my  mount  was  imitating  him, 
a  performance  which  I  subsequently  discovered 
had  been  going  on  daily  for  some  time.  If  a 
previously  quiet  horse  suddenly  starts  a  new  form 
of  playing  up,  the  riding  of  the  groom  or  person 
who  has  been  exercising  and  handling  him  should 
be  carefully  watched,  and  no  animal  which  is  known 
to  be  unsteady  should  be  allowed  to  teach  his  bad 
tricks  to  a  lady's  mount,  for  w^e  know  that  horses 
very  quickly  pick  up  bad  habits  from  each  other. 
Baron  de  Vaux,  in  his  book  Ecuyers  et  Ecuyeres, 
tells  us  that  Emilie  Loisset,  who  was  a  brilliant 
high  school  rider,  was  killed  by  a  rearer  coming 
over  with  her.  He  says: — '' Elle  soitffrait  beaiicoiipy 
car  la  fourche  de  la  selle  lid  avail  perform  les  inteslins. 
Apres  deux  joitrs  de  doitleurs  horribles,  la  pauvre 
Emilie  Loissel  rendit  le  dernier  soupir,  surprise  par 
la  niorl  en  pleine  jetmesse  el  en  plein  stccces^  The 
animal  she  rode  is  described  as  d'origine  irlandaise  et 
de  niauvais  ccetcr. 


465 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

NAMES   OF    EXTERNAL   PARTS   OF   THE 

HORSE. 

I  SHALL  here  of  course  omit  to  describe  parts,  such  as 
the  eyes,  head  and  tall,  for  Instance,  which  are  known 
to  everyone.  The  figures  and  letters  employed  in 
the  following  list,  have  reference  to  those  on  Fig.  147, 
except  when  Fig.  148  Is  mentioned. 

The  Jioof  (10)  Is  the  horny  box  which  encloses 
the  lower  part  of  the  leg.  The  front  part  of  the  hoof, 
near  the  ground  surface,  is  called  the  toe;  the  side 
portions,  the  qiim'ters  ;  and  the  rear  parts,  the  /leels. 
The  outer  portion  of  the  hoof  Is  termed  the  zuall, 
which  Is  divided  into  a  hard,  fibrous  outer  covering, 
called  the  crtist,  and  a  soft  Inner  layer  of  non-fibrous 
horn.  The  designations  "  wall  "  and  ''  crust  "  are  often 
used  indiscriminately. 

T\\&  fivg  Is  the  triangular  horny  cushion  which  is  in 
the  centre  of  the  ground  surface  of  the  hoof,  and  which, 
by  its  elasticity  and  strength,  acts  as  a  buffer  In  saving 
the  structures  inside  the  hoof  from  the  Injurious  effects 
of  concussion. 

The  cleft  of  the  frog  is  the  division   in  the  middle 

30 


466  NAMES    OF   EXTERNAL   PARTS. 

line  of  the  frog.  In  healthy  feet,  it  consists  of  only  a 
slight  depression.  In  a  disease,  called  "thrush,"  of 
the  sensitive  part  which  secretes  the  frog,  the  cleft 
forms  a  deep,  damp  and  foul-smelling  fissure,  and  the 
frog  becomes  more  or  less  shrivelled  up.  The  frog 
similar  to  the  skin  of  the  palms  of  our  hands,  requires 
frequent  pressure  to  make  it  thick  and  strong.  The 
horn  of  the  hoof  is  merely  a  modification  of  the  cuticle 
(scarf  skin). 

The  bars  of  the  hoof  are  the  portions  of  the  wall  of 
the  hoof  which  are  turned  inwards  at  the  heels,  and  run 
more  or  less  parallel  to  the  sides  of  the  frog.  The  sole 
is  that  portion  of  the  ground  surface  of  the  foot  which 
is  included  between  the  wall,  bars  and  frog. 

The  pastern  (9)  is  the  short  column  of  bones  (two 
in  number)  which  lies  between  the  fetlock  and  hoof. 

The  fetlock  (8)  is  the  prominent  joint  which  is  just 
above  the  hoof. 

The  cannon  bone  (7)  is  the  bone  that  extends  from 
the  fetlock  to  the  knee  (6),  which,  in  the  horse,  corre- 
sponds to  our  wrist. 

The  back  tendons  or  back  sinews  [AI)  form  the 
more  or  less  round  tendinous  cord  which  is  at  the 
back  of  the  leg,  from  the  knee  (or  hock)  to  the  fetlock. 
These  tendons,  which  are  two  in  number,  usually 
appear  in  the  form  of  one  cord  ;  but  in  horses  which 
have  a  very  fine  skin  and  "clean  legs,"  we  may  see 
that  one  of  them  is  placed  behind  the  other.  The 
term  "clean  legs"  signifies  that  the  limbs  are  not  only 
sound,  but  are  also  free  from  any  fulness,  which  would 


NAMES    OF    EXTERNAL   PARTS. 


467 


more  or  less  obscure  the  contour  of  the  bones,  tendons 
and  h'gaments.  Muscles  are  the  lean  of  meat,  and  their 
ends  are  connected  to  bones  by  means  of  tendons, 
which  consist  of  hard,  fibrous  and  inelastic  material. 
The  ligaments  of  the  limbs  are  composed  of  the  same 
material  (white  connective  tissue)  as  tendons,  and 
serve  to  connect    bones    together,   without   the    inter- 


Fig.  147. — External  parts  of  horse. 

vention    of   muscle.       The    horse    has    practically    no 
muscles  below  his  knees  and  hocks. 

The  suspensory  ligament  is  the  fibrous  cord  which 
lies  between  the  cannon  bone  and  the  back  tendons. 
The  fact  that  it  stands  sharply  out  between  these 
two  structures,  when  viewed  from  the  side,  shows  that 
it  is  in  a  sound  condition,  which  is  a  most  important 
point  as  regards  usefulness  ;  because  injury  to  it,  from 


30 


* 


468  NAMES   OF   EXTERNAL   PARTS. 

accident  or  overwork,  Is  a  fruitful  cause  of  lameness, 
especially  In  saddle  horses  that  are  employed  In  fast 
work. 

The  fo}'e-arvi  (5)  is  the  portion  of  the  fore  leg 
between  the  knee  and  the  elbow. 

The  point  of  the  elbow  (/)  is  the  bony  projection 
which  is  at  the  top  and  back  of  the  fore-arm. 

The  point  of  tJie  shoulder  [H)  is  the  prominent 
bony  angle  which  lies  a  little  below  the  junction 
of  the  neck  and  shoulder,  and  consists  of  the  outer 
portion  of  the  upper  end  of  the  humerus. 

The  foi'ehead  {A)  Is  the  front  part  of  the  head 
which  is  above  the  eyes. 

The  nose  [B)  is  a  continuation  of  the  forehead,  and 
ends  opposite  the  nostrils  (C). 

The  muzzle  is  the  lower  end  of  the  head,  and  in- 
cludes the  nostrils,  upper  and  lower  lips  (Z)  and  E\ 
and  the  bones  and  teeth  covered  by  the  lips. 

The  chin-groove  [F)  is  the  depression  at  the  back 
of  the  lower  jaw,  and  just  above  the  fulness  of  the 
lower  lip,  which,  in  this  case,  assumes  the  appearance 
of  a  chin. 

The  angles  of  the  lower  jaw  [G)  are  the  bony 
angles  between  which  the  upper  end  of  the  wind-pipe 
lies. 

The  witJiers  (4)  are  the  bony  ridge  which  is  the 
forward  end  of  the  back. 

The  shoulders  (3)  are  the  bony  and  muscular  por- 
tion of  the  body  which  Is  more  or  less  included 
between  a  line  drawn  from  the  point  of  the  shoulder 


NAMES   OF    EXTERNAL   PARTS.  469 

[H)  to  the  front  end  of  the  withers,  and  another  line 
drawn  from  the  point  of  the  elbow  (/)  to  the  rear  end 
of  the  withers.  Anatomically  speaking,  the  shoulders 
consist  of  the  humerus  (the  bone  which  lies  between 
the  elbow  and  the  point  of  the  shoulder),  shoulder 
blade,  and  the  muscles  which  cover  them. 

The  crest  ( T)  is  the  upper  part  of  the  neck,  extend- 
ing from  the  withers  to  the  ears. 

The  jugular  groove  ( U)  is  the  groove  which  is  on 
each  side  of  the  neck,  just  above  the  wind-pipe.  It 
marks  the  course  of  the  jugular  vein. 

The  poll  ( V)  is  the  part  on  the  top  of  the  neck, 
immediately  behind  the  ears. 

The  breast  is  the  front  portion  of  the  body  which 
we  see  between  the  fore  legs  and  below  a  line  con- 
necting the  points  of  both  shoulders,  when  looking  at 
the  animal  from  the  front.  The  chest  is  the  cavity 
which  is  covered  by  the  ribs,  and  which  contains  the 
lungs,  heart,  etc.  Therefore,  instead  of  saying  that  a 
horse  which  struck  a  fence  without  rising  at  it, 
"chested"  it,  we  should,  on  the  contrary,  say  that 
he  "  breasted  "  it.  This  confusion  between  the  terms 
"breast"  and  '* chest"  Is  not  unusual. 

The  brisket  (16)  Is  the  part  formed  by  the  breast- 
bone, and  is  the  lower  part  of  the  chest. 

The  girth-place  is  that  portion  of  the  brisket  which 
is  just  behind  the  fore  legs,  and  which  the  girths  pass 
under  when  the  horse  Is  saddled. 

The  back  (4  and  11)  Is  practically  the  withers  and 
that  portion  of  the  upper  part  of  the  body  which  Is 


470  NAMES    OF   EXTERNAL   PARTS. 

covered  by  the  saddle.  Strictly  speaking,  it  is  that 
portion  of  the  spine  which  is  possessed  of  ribs.  In 
common  parlance,  the  term  ''back"  is  often  applied 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  horse,  from  the  withers 
to  the  highest  point  of  the  croup  (Fig.  148,  H). 
This  measurement  includes  the  loins  (12)  as  well 
as  the  back.  The  bones  (six  vertebrae)  of  the  loins 
have  no  ribs,  and,  consequently,  the  flanks  on  each 
side  are  soft  to  the  touch,  and  have  a  tendency 
to  ''fall  in"  (become  depressed),  especially  if  the 
abdomen,  which  is  underneath  them,  be  insufficiently 
filled  with  food.  The  croup  (17)  is  that  part  of  the 
spine  which  is  between  the  loins  and  tail.  The  hind 
legs  are  connected  to  the  croup  by  means  of  the 
pelvis,  which  is  firmly  united  to  the  croup  by  strong 
ligaments.  The  pelvis  stands  in  the  same  relation  to 
the  hind  legs  as  the  shoulder  blades  do  to  the  fore 
limbs,  the  chief  difference  between  them  being  that 
the  pelvis  is  a  single  bony  structure  composed  of 
several  bones,  and  the  shoulder  blades  are  separate 
bones.  The  front  part  of  the  pelvis  is  called  the 
point  of  tJie  hip  (S). 

The  sti^e  (N)  is  the  joint  of  the  hind  leg  which 
is  at  the  lower  part  of  the  flank.  The  l/ii^'A  extends 
from  the  stifle  to  the  hip  joint. 

The  /wc/^  (20)  is  the  large  and  freely  movable 
joint  which  is  immediately  above  the  hind  cannon- 
bone.  The  poi7il  of  the  hock  (Q)  is  the  bony  pro- 
jection at  the  back  and  top  of  the  hock.  The  ham- 
string', or    tendo   Achillis  {P)y  is  the    tendinous  cord 


NAMES  OF  EXTERNAL  PARTS. 


471 


which  runs  up  the  back  of  the  leg  from  the  point  of 
the  hock.  The  gaskin  (19)  is  the  part  of  the  leg 
immediately  above  the  hock  and  bounded  at  the  rear 
by  the  hamstring.  The  term,  thigh,  is  usually  applied 
to    the   part  of  the  hind  leg  above  the  gaskin  ;    but, 


B  I 

Fig.  148. — Measurements  of  horse. 


correctly  speaking,  it  is  the  part  of  the  hind  leg  above 
the  stifle. 

The  de//y,  or  abdomen  (15),  is  the  underneath  por- 
tion of  the  body  of  the  horse  which  is  not  covered  by 
bone. 

The  point  of  the  bnttock  (O)  is  the  rearmost  point 
of  the  pelvis. 


472  NAMES    OF    EXTERNAL   PARTS. 

The  dock  i^R)  Is  the  solid  part  of  the  tall. 

The  height  of  a  horse  (A  B,  Fig.  148)  is  the  vertical 
distance  of  the  highest  point  of  his  withers  from  the 
ground,  when  he  is  standing  with  his  fore  legs  nearly 
vertical  and  with  the  points  of  his  hocks  in  a  vertical 
line  with  the  points  of  his  buttocks.  I  have  qualified 
"vertical"  by  ''nearly"  when  referring  to  the  fore 
legs  ;  for  when  the  hind  legs  are  placed  as  in  Fig.  147, 
the  weight  of  the  head  and  neck,  which  are  in  front  of 
the  fore  legs,  would  cause  the  animal  to  stand  some- 
what "over."  When  a  pony  is  being  measured  for 
polo  or  racing,  his  legs  should  be  placed  in  the  position 
I  have  described,  although  his  head  may  be  lowered 
until  his  crest  Is  parallel  with  the  ground. 

The  length  of  the  body  of  a  horse  {D  E,  Fig.  148), 
may  be  assumed  as  the  horizontal  distance  from  the 
front  of  the  chest  to  a  line  dropped  .vertically  from 
the  point  of  the  buttock.  This  measurement  is  a 
somewhat  arbitrary  one,  but  It  is  probably  the  best 
for  the  purpose.  French  writers  generally  take  the 
length  of  a  horse  as  the  distance  from  the  point  of 
the  shoulder  to  the  point  of  the  buttock.  As  this  is 
not  a  horizontal  measurement,  I  prefer  to  it  the  one 
just  given. 

The  depth  of  the  chest  at  the  ivithers  (A  C,  Fig.  148) 
is  the  vertical  distance  from  the  top  of  the  withers  to 
the  bottom  of  the  chest.  This  measurement  being- 
taken  for  convenience  sake  Is  an  arbitrary  one,  be- 
cause the  chest  is  lower  between  the  fore  legs  than 
behind  the  elbow,  which  Is  the  spot  I  have  selected. 


NAMES    OF   EXTERNAL   PARTS.  473 

Besides,  the  actual  height  of  the  withers  above  the 
roof  of  the  chest,  has  no  fixed  relation  to  the  depth 
of  the  chest. 

Depth  of  the  body  {F  G,  Fig.  148).  The  best  and 
most  uniform  point  to  take  this  is,  I  think,  the  lowest 
point  of  the  back. 

Height  at  the  cr^nip  {HI,  Fig.  148)  is  measured 
from  the  highest  point  of  the  hind  quarters. 


475 


INDEX. 


ABDOMEN,  471. 
Accidents,  5. 

Across  countiy,  riding,  219. 
Age  to  begin,  4. 
Agricultural  Hall,  167,  335. 
Alderson,  Colonel,  310. 
Allen,  Mr.  John,  33. 
Angles  of  lower  jaw,  468. 
Ann  of  Bohemia,  430. 
Apron  skirts,  96. 
Arabs,  17,  18,  424. 
Argentine  horses,  457. 
Ash-plant,  18. 
Audry,  430. 
Australia,  269. 
Australian  horses,  457,  460. 
Ayah,  92. 

BACK,  469. 

,,        tendons,  466. 
Backing,  442. 
Backs,  sore,  350. 
Badminton,  361. 
Baily^s  Hnnling  Directory,  307. 
Baiiys  Magazine,  358. 
Baird,  Mr.  Abingdon,  463. 
Balance,  148,  149. 

strap,  36,  53. 
"Balking,"  440. 
Banks,  269,  287,  450. 
Bar,  stirrup,  27. 
Barclay,  Mr.  Hedworth,  378. 
Bars  of  the  hoof,  465. 

,,     of  the  tree,  26,  28. 

,,  ,  safety,  38-42. 


Baskets,  5. 
Beckford,  315. 
Beers,  Frank,  246. 
Belly,  471. 
Belvoir,  14,  306,  335. 

„       Vale,  320. 
Beresford,  Lord  William,  384. 
Berliner  Tattersall,  392. 
Bicycles,  6,  16. 
Bit,  70. 

,,     and  Bridoon,  70,  76. 
,,  ,  cover  for,  77. 
Blackmore  Vale,  307. 
Blazers,  270. 
"Blood,"  345- 
"  Blowing  their  noses,"  437. 
"  Bobbery  pack,"  386. 
Body,  length  of,  472. 
Bois  de  Boulogne,  16,  392. 
Bombay,   387. 
Boots,  116. 
Boring,  454. 
Brandy,  350. 

Breaking  and  Riding,  1 1 8. 
Breaking  classes,  166. 

,,         tours,  458. 
Breast,  469. 
Breast-plate,  54. 
Breeches,  no. 
Bridle,  adjustment  of,  86. 
Bridles,  70. 
Bridoon,  75. 
Brisket,  469. 
Brooks,  335,  338. 
Brow-band,  74. 


476 


INDEX. 


Brutality,  414-417. 

Buck -jumping,  457. 

Bullfinch,  248.. 

"  Bumpy  shoulders,"  100. 

Burnaby's  Butterfly,  Miss,  8,  9. 

Butter,  362. 

Butterfly,  Miss  Burnaby's,  8,  9. 

Buttock,  point  of  the,  471. 

CALCUTTA,   12,   167,  333,  382,  386, 

456,  464. 
Camels,  168. 
Cannon  bone,  466. 
Canter,  the,  200. 
Cantering,  240, 

,,  false,  203. 

Capping,  307. 
Carriages,  passing,  229. 
Carrots  for  horses,  170. 
Case  for  extra  stirrup,  42. 
Catherine  II.,  393. 
Caton,  Mr.,  444. 
Cattle,  248. 
Ceylon,  108. 
Cheek  pieces,  74. 
Cheshire,  248,  343,  432. 
Chest,  469. 

,,    ,  depth  of,  472. 
Chifney,  Sam,  165. 
Children,  side-saddles  for,  59-66. 

,,       ,  teaching,  59-64. 
Child's  riding  dress,  60,  98. 
China,  108,  388,  462. 
Chin-groove,  88,  468. 
Church  Minshull,  320. 
Circus,  169. 

,,       in  Paris,  182. 
Clark,  Mr.,  385. 
"  Clean  legs,"  466. 
Cleaning  a  saddle,  69. 
Cloister,  287. 
Cloth,  89,  90. 
Coat,  driving,  109. 

,,   ,  fitting  riding,  lOO. 
Coats,  riding,  100-108. 
Coffins,  jumping,  388. 
Collars,  124. 


Colonel,  244. 

Colour  of  habit,  90. 

Coming  home,  346. 

Committee,  Farmers',  373. 

Compensation  to  farmers,  373. 

Condition,  rider's,  351. 

' '  Continuations, "  112. 

Conyers,  Mr.,  366. 

Cook,  Mrs.  "Jim,"  384. 

"  Cope  and  dash,"  269. 

Cottesmore,  14,  250,  395. 

Country,  248. 

Covert  fund,  307. 

Covering  of  a  side-saddle,  32. 

Cows,  368. 

Cracked  heels,  436. 

Craven,  306. 

Crawley  and  Horsham,  306. 

Creed,  Mr.,  92,  99. 

Crest,  469. 

Cross-saddle  riding,  426-430. 

Croup,  470. 

,,     ,  height  at,  473. 
Crown-piece,  74. 
Crop,  172. 
Crupper,  26,  56. 
Crust  of  hoof,  465. 
Crutch,  off,  30. 

,,     ,  upper,  29. 
Crutches,  movable,  305. 

,,       ,  riding  the,  146. 
Cub-hunting,  338. 
Cuffs,  122. 
Curb-chains,  88. 
Curbs,  70,  78,  208,  209,  326,  438,  443, 

448,  450,  451. 
Custance,  Miss,  349. 
"  Cut-and-laid  "  fence,  249. 
"  Cut  back  "  pommel,  28. 

DAIRY-FARMING,  248. 
Damage  fund,  307. 
"  Dancing,"  437. 
Davis,  2,  3. 
de  Vaux,  Baron,  464. 
Depth  of  chest,  472. 
„      ,,  body,  473. 


INDEX. 


477 


Devon  and  Somerset  Staghounds,  351, 

428. 
Diana,  315. 

"  Difficult  "  horses,  431-464, 
Dilke,  Lady,  170. 
Dismounting,  134. 
Distemper,  398. 
Dixon,  Mr.  Scarth,  245. 
Dock,  472. 

Docking  horses,  21-24. 
Donkeys,  20,   388. 
Double  bridle,  75,  208. 
"Dragged,"  5,  50,  64-66,  98. 
Dress,  riding,  89-124. 


EAST  GALWAY,  269,  270. 
Eciiyers  et  Ecnyeres,  464. 
Elbow,  point  of  the,  468. 
"Ellen  Terry,"  389. 
Elliot,  Mr.,  246. 
Elmhirst,    Captain,   10,   305, 

33i>  ZZ^,  341,  345- 
Emigrant,  458. 

Emperor  Paul,  393. 

Eiicyclopcedia  Londinensis,  430. 

Esa  bin  Curtis,  21. 

Essex  and  Suffolk,  307. 

Esther  Waters,  422. 

External  parts,  names  of,  465-473 


311, 


;i4, 


FALLS,  376-380. 
Fane,  Lady  Augusta.  1 79. 
Farmers,  248,  249,  357-373,  397. 
,,       ,  Compensation  to,  373. 
5,  Committee,  373. 

,,         daughters,  362. 
Feet,  care  of  the,  436. 
Fence,  riding  up  to,  241. 
Fences,  248. 

,,     ,  "  made,"  219. 

,,     ,  natural,  224. 
Fenn,  Mr.,  391. 
Fetlock,  466. 
Field,  in  the,  307. 
Field,  The,  306. 
Fillis,  Mr.  Frank,  168. 

,,    ,  Mr.  James,  118. 


Firr,  Tom,  247,  387. 
First  Lessons,  3. 
Flask,  323. 

Fleming,  Dr.  G.,  23,  24. 
Flirting,  375. 
Flock,  32. 
Foot  "  home,"  150. 
Ford,  Mr.,  34,  40. 
Fordham,  George,  180. 
Fore-arm,  468. 
Forehead,  468. 
Forehead-band,  74. 
Foxhounds  in  India,  387. 
Foxhunting,  343,  354. 
France,   16. 
Franciscan,  378. 
Freddie,  18,  19,  424. 
Freeman,  378. 
"Frivol,"  375. 
Frog  of  hoof,  465. 
Front,  74. 

Frost,  praying  for,  245. 
"Funking,"  450,  451. 

GALWAY,  269,  450. 

Gallop,  206. 

Garsault,  430. 

Garth,  Mr.,  384, 

Gaskin,  471. 

Gates,  248,  287-303,  312,  313. 

Geldings,  343. 

Germans,  391. 

Germany,  16. 

Girls  riding,  4,  5. 

Girth  place,  469. 

Girths,  51-53. 

"  Give  and  take,"  163. 

Gloucestershire,  361. 

Gloves,  120. 

"Gone  away,"  326. 

Gowlasher,  424. 

Grafton,  246. 

Grand  National,  332. 

Graphic,  The,  347. 

Grip,  148,  149.  ^ 

Gullet  plate,  27. 

Gustave,  3,  183,  331. 


478 


INDEX. 


HABITS,  89-110. 

Habit-shy^  440. 

Hackamore,  87. 

Hacking,  227. 

Hacks,  16-20. 

Hair,  management  of,  115,  116. 

Halt,  the,  188. 

Hames,  Mr.  Sam,  354. 

Hamstring,  470. 

Hancock's  bit  cover,  77. 

Handkerchiefs,  323. 

Hands,  160. 

,,       steady,  keeping,  163. 
Harding,  Miss,  210,  269. 
Harrington,  Lord,  179. 
Hat-guards,  114. 
Hats,  113. 

,,      for  the  tropics,  115. 
Hayes'  safety  skirt,  94. 
Haystacks,   329. 
"  Head,"  70,  74. 

„       ,  near,  30. 
Head-stall,  70,  74, 
Heavy  land,  367. 
Heels,  465. 
Height  at  croup,  473. 

,,       of  horse,  472. 
Henry,  Colonel,  358,  361,  372. 
Hidden  Mystery,  332. 
High  School  Riding,  181. 
Hints  to  Htintsnien,  352. 
Hip,  point  of  the,  470. 
Hirelings,  452. 
Hock,  470. 
Holloaing,  310. 
Home,  coming,  346. 
Hoof,  465. 

Hooked-back  seat,  151,  154. 
Hook  for  stirrup-leather,  38,  39. 
Horn,  the,  352. 
Hornsby,  Mrs.,  371. 
Horse,  talking  to,  229,  230. 
Horse-breaking  classes,  166. 

,,  ,,         tours,  458. 

Horses  for  ladies,  8. 

,,    ,  buying,  423. 
Hospitality,  381. 


Hot  countries,  jackets  for,  108. 
Hwnerti.s^  469. 
Hunt  balls,  365,  366. 
Hunter,  height  of,  12. 
Hunters,  Australian,  8. 

,,       ,  Leicestershire,  8-16. 
Hunting,  395,  399. 

,,         abroad,  381. 

,,         ties,  122. 

„         whips,  312,  313. 

„         women,  4,  5. 

ILL  USTRA  TED  HORSE-BREAK- 
ING, 234,  417. 
India,  92,  381,  382,  432,  449, 

,,       -rubber  mouth-piece  cover,  77. 
Ireland,  307,  394,  450. 
Italian  remounts,  390. 

JACKEROO,  MISS  NEIL'S,  11. 

Jackets  for  hot  countries,  108. 

Jameson  Raid,  391. 

Japan,   108. 

Jaw,  angles  of  lower,  468. 

Jibbing,  440. 

Jorrocks,  120,  244,  315,  326,  333,  341, 

348,  357,  424. 
Jugular  groove,  469. 

Jumping,  209,  449-454- 

,,         competitions,  168,  183. 
,,         without  reins,  236. 

KAISER  AND  KAISERIN,  392. 

Keeper  of  whip,  174. 

Kennel  coat,  402. 

Kent,  249. 

Kickers,  10,  11,  12,  342-245. 

Kicking,  455. 

Kindness  to  horses,  414. 

Knee-pad,  99. 

King-King,  Captain,  376. 

Kirby  Gate,  342. 

LADIES   IN    THE    FIELD,    383, 

393- 
Laertes,  124. 
Lash,  173. 


INDEX. 


479 


Leading  fore  leg,  7. 

Leaning  back,  150,  158. 

Leaping  head,  33-36. 

Left  leg,  action  of,  149. 
,,  ,  swerving  to  the,  146. 

Legs,  position  of,  3. 

Leicestershire,  95,  98,  179,  196,  219, 
247,  270,  311,  316,  319,  328,  334, 
336,  342,  343,  357,  372,  377,  ^78, 
395,  428,  461. 

Length  of  body,  472. 

Level-seated  saddle,  55,  56. 

Lz/e  of  a  Foxhound,  400. 

Ligament,  suspensory,  467. 

Ligaments,  467. 

Light  land,  367. 

Lions,   168. 

Little  Pedlington,  169. 

Loins,  470. 

Loisset,  Emilie,  464. 

Long  reins,  233. 

Lonsdale,  Lord,  98,  247. 

Lord  Arthur,  378. 

Lord  Fitzwilliams,  306. 

Lucknow,  386. 

Lufra,  183. 

MACDOUGAL,      CAPTAIN 

"DING,"  384. 
Macklin,  Mr.,  385,  446,  460. 
McAndrew,  Mr.,  387. 
Magic,  424. 
Major,  244. 
Mameluke  bit,  390. 
Manifesto,  287. 
Marengo,  210. 
Mares,  343. 

,,     ,  docking,  22,  23. 
Martingale,  running,  82-88. 

,,         ,  standing,  82,  161. 
"  Mary  Anderson,"  389, 
Measuring  horses,  20. 
Meerkat  holes,  335. 
Melton  cloth,  89-92. 

„       Mowbray,  386,  395,  452. 
Men  riding,  i. 
,,     teaching  ladies,  2,  4. 


Meynell,  306. 

,,      ,  Mr.,  347. 
Mexico,  428. 
Michael  Hardy,  328. 
■  Midlands,  248. 
Midland  stile,  250. 
Mills,  Mr.,  400,  405. 
Milton,  Mr.,  386. 
Modern  Riding,  33. 
Mons  Meg,  167. 
Moore,  George,  422 

,,     ,  Mr.  John  Hubert,  82,  163. 
Motee,  388. 
Mounting,  125-134. 
Mouth-piece,  cover  for,  77. 
MozufFerpore,  387. 
Mr.  Bathurst's,  306. 
"Mr.  Gladstone,"  389. 
"  Mrs.  Cornwallis  West,"  389. 
"     ,,     Kendal,"  389. 
"     „      Langtry,"  389. 
Murray,  Mrs.,  384. 
Muscles,  467. 
Musician,  165. 
Muzzle,  468. 
My  Leper  Friends,  62. 

NEAR  HEAD,  30. 
Neckties,  124. 
Neil's,  Jackeroo,  Miss,  11. 
Neilgherry  cane,  18. 
Newcastle,  Countess  of,  430. 

,  Duchess  of,  337,  393. 
New  Zealand,  269. 

,,  ,,         horses,  457. 

"Niggling,"  163. 
Ninteeiith  Century,  23. 
North  Cheshire,  14,  320,  371. 

,,    ,  Lord,  306. 
Nose,  468. 

Nose-band,  cavesson.  443. 
Nose-bands,  79,  8j. 
Nostrils,  468. 
Numdahs,  57-59. 

OFF  CRUTCH,  30. 
Oriental  women,  429. 


48o 


INDEX. 


Orlov  trotters,  425. 
Oxer,  250. 

PACE,  JUDGING,  374. 

Paget,  Mr.  Otho,  246,  247,  308,   309, 

3i5>  325,  395.  396,  399- 
Panel,  32,  33,  57. 

Panniers,  5. 

Paperchasing,  382-386. 

Paris,  392. 

Pastern,  466. 

Pasture  land,  368. 

Pat,  17. 

Patent  leather,  118. 

Pelhams,  78. 

Pellier,  M.,  33. 

Pelvis,  470. 

Penrhyn,  Lord,  247. 

Pirouette  renversec,  303. 

Pilots,  373. 

Pith  hats,  115. 

Ploughed  land,  327. 

Points  of  the  tree,  27, 

Poll,  469. 

Pollard  willows,  338. 

Pollok,  Mr.  Arthur,   269. 

Pommel,  27,  28. 

Polo,  144,  179. 

,,     ponies,  16,  17. 

Posts  and  rails,  249. 

Poultry  fund,  307. 

Prancing,  437. 

Pretoria,    166. 

Prestonpans,  244. 

Pulling,  442-448. 

Puppies,  exercise  for,  406. 

,,      ,  feeding,  398,  402. 

,,      ,  judging,  396,  397. 

,,       ,  medicine  for,  404. 

,,       ,  punishing,  411, 
Pytchley,  209,  306,  307,  357. 
»        pups,  399- 

QUARTERS,  465. 
Queen  Elizabeth,  430. 
Queen,  The,  60,  243. 


Quorn,  14,  209,  247,  306,  341. 
,,      Friday,  113. 

RABBIT  HOLES,  335. 

Ranelagh,  183. 

"  Rapier,"  428. 

Rearers  and  rearing,  333,  462. 

Red  board,  357. 

,,    bows,  342-345- 

»>    rag,  357,  358. 
Refusers  and  refusing,   327,  328,  449- 

454. 
Reining  back,  214. 

Reins,  78-82. 

,,    ,  how  to  hold  the,  136. 

„    ,  jerking  the,  419. 

»     ,  long,  233. 

,,     ,  military  way  of  holding,  142. 

,,     ,  riding  without,  233. 

,,    ,  shortening  the,  142. 
Remounts,  Italian,  390. 
Rentz's  Circus,  463. 
Richmond  Show,  336. 
Ridge  and  Furrow,  319. 
Riding  abroad,  381. 
Riding  and  Hunting,  51,  57,  70,    124, 

136,  180,  208,  447. 
Riding  masters,  155. 

,,        without  reins,  233. 
Right  leg,  action  of,  150. 

,,       ,,  ,  position  of,  150. 
Road,  rules  of  the,  227. 
Roberts,  Mr.,  246. 
Romance,  8,  55. 
Rotten  Row,  16,  17,  392,  393. 
Running  away,  231. 
Russia,  109,  121. 
Russian  cabmen,  424,  425. 

,,        horses,  457. 
Rutland,  Duke  of,  306,  395. 

SADDLE,  CLEANING  A,  69. 

„  cloths,  57-59. 

,,  to  fit  rider,  56. 

Saddling  a  horse,  66-68. 
Saddles,  riding  in  men's,  426-430. 
"Safe,"  25,  32. 


INDEX. 


481 


Safety  bars,  38-42,  231. 

,,       skirts,  89-110,  231. 

,,      stirrups,  42-51,  64-66. 
St.  Petersburg,  393. 
Salary,  14,  15. 
Sample,  Professor,  379. 
Sandwich  case,  323. 
Sanminiatelli,  Count,  390. 
Saunders,  Mrs.,  384,  355. 
Scots  Grey,  82. 
"Scrutator,"  343,  354,  379. 
Seats  of  side-saddles,  32,  55. 
Seat,  the,  145. 

,,   ,  theory  of  the,  145-156. 
Second  horseman,  323. 

,,        horses,  347. 
Shanghai,  231,  388. 
Sheep,  368. 
Shires,  8,    12,  91,  176,   179,  248,  249, 

250,  269,  270,  357. 
Shoulder,  point  of  the,  468, 
Shouldering,  441. 
Shoulders,  468. 
Shying,  229,  432,  433-436- 
Side-saddle,  weight  of,  54. 
Side-saddles,  i,  2,  6,  7,  25-69. 
Sideways,  jumping  horses,  378. 
Singapore,  388. 
"  Sit  back,"  214. 
Skirt,  accustoming  horse  to,  18. 

,,    ,  length  of,  98. 
Slipper  stirrup,  42. 
Snaffles,  75,  326,  438,  443,  448,  450. 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 

to  Animals,  396. 
Sola  topee,  115. 
Sole  of  the  hoof,  465. 
Soltikov,  393. 

Sore  backs,  7,  68,  324,  350. 
South  Africa,  335,  391. 
Spinal  curvature,  6. 
Sporting  and  Dramatic  News,  428. 
Spur,  177. 

,,      on  whip,  182. 
Square  seat,  153-155. 
Stable  Management  and  Exercise,  350. 
Standing  jump,  241. 


Standing  martingale,  439. 

,,         "  over,"  472. 
Stapleford  Park,  250. 
Staples,  54. 

Stake-and-bound  fence,  249. 
Starting,  185. 
"  Steady  !  "  169,  204. 
"  Steadying  "  horses,  223. 
Steep  ground,  320. 
Steiger,  463. 

Steinbock,  coursing,  391. 
Stifle,  470. 
Stirrup  bar,  27. 

,,     ,  case  for  extra,  42. 

,,        leather,  36-38. 

,,      ,  length  of,  156. 

,,     ,  man's,  50. 

,,     ,  position  of  foot  in,  156. 

,,        too  long,  146. 
Stirrups,  safety,  42-51,  64-66. 
Stock,   122. 
Stokes,  William,  428. 
Stone  gaps,  269. 

,,      walls,  269. 
Strangers,  327. 
Stuffing  of  saddle,  32,  33. 
Stumbling,  436. 
Subscriptions,  hunt.  306. 
Suffolk  Punch,  387. 
Suez,  388. 
Surtees,  330. 

Suspensory  ligament,  467. 
Swimming,  462. 
Syces,  424. 

TAILORS,  89,  102-105. 
Talking  to  horses,  229,  230. 
Tan,  437. 
Tannoform,  351. 
Tautz,  Mr.,  94,  no. 
Tendo  Achillis,  470. 
Tendons,  467. 
Terai  hat,  115. 
Terence,  384. 
Tientsin,  388,  462. 
Tiergarten,  16,  392,  429. 
Tips,  352. 

31 


482 


INDEX. 


Tit-bits  for  horses,  170. 

Thanks,  352. 

The  Young  Lady'' s  Equestrian  Manual^ 

305. 
The    Wanton  Mutilation  of  Animals, 

23- 

Thigh,  470,  471. 

Third  crutch,  305. 

,,      pommel,  305. 
Thompson,  Mr.  Anstrulher,  352. 
Thong,  173. 
Throat-latch,  74,  88. 
Thrush,  436,  437,  466. 
Thoughts  on  Htinting,  315. 
Throwing  up  the  head,  438. 

Toe,  465- 

"Tougal,"  Mr.,  385. 
Tree,  points  of  the,  27,  29. 

,,  ,  saddle,  25,  26-31. 
Trot,  rising  at  the,  190-194. 

„  ,  the,  189-200,  239. 
Turner,  Captain,  384. 
Turning,  187. 
Tushes,  86. 
Tweedie,  Mrs.,  428. 
Twitches,  416,  417. 

UNDER-BODICE,  122. 
Under-clothing,  112. 
Upper  crutch,  29. 

VALE  OF  WHITE  HORSE,  307. 

Vehicles,  passing,  229. 

Venus  de  Medici,  21. 

Veterinary  Notes  for  Horse-owners,  22, 

347,  350,  436. 
Vizianagram,  381. 
Voice,  165,  204,  229. 
Voltaire,  24. 


WALERS,  21. 

Walk,  the,  185,  239. 

Walker,  Colonel,  424. 

Walking  puppies,  394-413. 

Wall  of  hoof,  465. 

Wanton  Mutilation  of  Animals,    The, 

23- 
Ward,  Mr.  Frank,  175. 

Ward's  Riding  School,  59,  60,  167,  331. 

Warwickshire  Hunt,  306,  307. 

Washing  horses'  feet,  436. 

,,         puppies,  402. 

Watches,  323. 

Watering  horses,  417,  418. 

Webs,  28. 

Weight  of  side-saddle,  54. 

Whip,  hunting,   172. 

Whips,  334. 

Whissendine,   250. 

Whiskey,  350. 

"Whoa!"  170. 

Whyte  Melville,    180,   181,    209,    310, 

314,  315*  376,  420. 
Wilberforce,  Archbishop,  376. 
Willows,  pollard,  338. 
Wintle,  Mr.,  231. 
Wire,  250,  357-373- 

„      fund,  307. 
Withers,  468. 
Women  riding,  i. 
Woodland  country,  338. 
Wroughton,  Mr.,  361. 

YELVERTOFT  CHURCH,  270. 
Young  horses,   15,    16,   166,  433,  434, 

435,  443- 
ZEBRA,  RIDING  A,  62,  456. 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Cummings  Sciioo!  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 
Tufts  University 
200  V\/estboro  Road 


B  •  .  •  .o. 


